You Can't Always Get What You Want
by Jomatto
Summary: Sora runs away when he can no longer bear the sight of Kairi and Riku together. Ten years later, he receives an invitation to their wedding.
1. An Invitation

**An Invitation**

Bloodshot eyes stared at the blank screen.

It was the same routine: wake up, eat, stare, sleep, rinse and repeat. He couldn't move forward, not when his brain was as empty as the screen in front of him. His name was Sora Hikari, also known as Tetsuya Nomura, his pen name. He was handsome, with big blue eyes, round cheeks, and wild brunet hair, clad in a pair of gray sweats and a plain white tee. He wrote a series called _The Keyblade Chronicles_, about a hero who journeys across multiple worlds to fight against the forces of darkness. It was a great success, selling millions of copies to a generation of young readers. Two books had been released so far, and he was working on the third.

Progress was slow. He had been cursed by every author's worst nightmare: writer's block. His screen displayed no words, no sentences, no paragraphs—only an insertion point—a blinking line that mocked him, daring him to write. But his mind was gone, replaced by a desert of rolling tumbleweeds. He pushed his chair backwards and started spinning, the wheels creaking as his eyes circled the room, searching for some kind of inspiration.

"This is pointless," he muttered, sinking into his chair. "I'll never finish this."

**Knock, Knock!**

Sora stopped and looked at the door.

**Knock, Knock!**

Let the distraction in or continue staring at insertion points? He settled on he latter, got up, and opened the front door, revealing a blond man dressed in a business shirt and dark slacks. He was carrying a box of donuts in one hand, coffee in the other, and a bundle of mail between his teeth. It was his cousin, Roxas.

"Some 'elp 'ere?" Roxas said. It was hard to speak with mail in his mouth.

Sora laughed and grabbed the donuts but Roxas let go of the coffee too early. Sora caught the tray before it hit the floor, but one of the cups popped open and splashed his shirt. "HOT!" he yelped, recoiling from the heat on his chest.

"Oh crap, I'm real sorry about this!" Roxas said, spitting out the mail. "Let me help you!"

"It's fine. I can take care of it myself." He walked into the kitchen and used the sink to dampen his shirt.

Roxas sat down, abashed like a child who had just spilled his milk. "Sorry, I thought you had it."

Sora returned to the living room with a wet shirt. "Remind me not to partner up with you in the company relay race."

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Ha ha, very funny."

"What are you doing here anyways?" the brunet asked. He grabbed some napkins and started rubbing it against the stain.

"What, I need an excuse to see my favorite cousin?"

"I'm your _only_ cousin here in Twilight Town," Sora countered.

"And that's why you're my favorite," he replied jovially. He glanced around and noticed the laptop. "How are things around here?"

Despite his vigorous technique, the coffee stain didn't diminish. "The same as always."

"No progress, huh?"

Sora scrunched his face in irritation; he didn't need the reminder. "What about you? Shouldn't you be at the office and, I don't know, work?"

Roxas grinned and leaned back, setting his feet on the table. "Everything's taken care of. I'm more worried about you. Shouldn't you be on the computer and like, I don't know, write a story?" He thought he was _so_ clever.

"Can't get blood from a turnip. I need inspiration." It had been a full year since _The_ _Keyblade Chronicles 2_ was released onto bookshelves. Sora enjoyed a three-month break before the publisher asked him to write another sequel. That was nine months ago, and he had written a grand total of ten pages since. It was a bad situation, but given his previous success, he was allowed to take his time.

Roxas wasn't impressed by the excuse. "I'll let you in on a little secret: there's no better inspiration than a girlfriend."

Sora groaned. "Not this again."

"Hear me out! You asked why I wasn't at the office, right? I'm taking a break. I just hired a new manager and her name's Xion. She's _really_ good. I have all this free time thanks to her. She's adorable, smart, and funny too. I think she'd be good for you."

"If she's so great, why don't _you_ ask her out?"

Roxas sighed. Sora always had to be difficult. "Because I'm already going out with Naminé."

"Makes me wonder why you keep searching for nice girls when you already have a girlfriend," he said sarcastically.

"I'm doing it for you."

"No thanks, I'm good."

"You expect me to believe that? I haven't even told you the best thing about her."

"And what's that?"

He paused for dramatic effect. "She looks like Kairi."

Sora stopped, thought about it, frowned, and resumed rubbing his shirt. A few quiet seconds passed before he tossed the useless napkin away and started walking to his bedroom.

"Hey, did you hear me? Where are you going?"

"To get a new shirt." He slammed the door shut.

Roxas shook his head tiredly; another attempt to get Sora a girlfriend shot down. It was an on-going project of his and the reason for it was simple: to repay a favor.

When Sora moved to Twilight Town, he introduced Roxas to Naminé, an old friend of his from high school. Meeting her was the best thing that ever happened to him. They hit it off and became a couple. He learned from her that the only reason Sora left Destiny Islands was to get away from a girl named "Kairi." Kairi was Sora's best friend but he was secretly in love with her. He was devastated when she hooked up with his other best friend, Riku. Roxas felt sorry for his cousin, hence, the beginning of project "Find Sora a Damn Girlfriend."

Roxas took matters into his own hands and reached out to women he knew. It wasn't hard to sell Sora since he was the successful author of a famous book series. It was just too bad that every introduction he made ended in absolute failure. It wasn't for lack of female interest; Sora sabotaged himself at every turn, ruining any chance of starting over.

Although he had never met Kairi, Roxas decided that she was a bitch. To see Sora reduced to nothing more than a hermit who wasted his days slaving over a keyboard was depressing. When Roxas saw pictures of her for the first time, he had to admit, she was hot. He could see why Sora would fall for her, but his opinion remained unchanged; she was still a bitch—just a hot one.

Roxas stuffed a donut in his mouth and looked over the apartment. It was cramped. Couches and chairs were placed at haphazard angles, making it impossible to walk a few steps without hitting a piece of furniture. Leftover take-out and fast food bags littered the floor, forming a nice crunchy carpet. Sora lived by himself and rarely had visitors. Since he was a multi-million selling author, it didn't make sense for him to stay here. He could easily afford a much nicer place. Roxas told him to upgrade many times but the writer was too stubborn.

Roxas saw the mail lying on the floor; it fell from his mouth earlier. He bent down to pick it up and started sorting them. Fan mail, fan mail, fan mail, huh, what was this? His eyes widened as he saw the sender's address.

"What's that?" Sora reentered the living room wearing a new shirt and eyed the colorful card in Roxas' hands.

"It's nothing," he said nervously. He was obviously hiding something behind his back.

Sora got in close and reached behind. "Gimme that." He stole the card easily, and his eyes went to the sender's address, "From Kairi and Riku." He froze.

"You still want to open it?"

Sora stood there and stared at the words. The letters were raised and printed with a swirly flourish, and the card was colored in soft hues of pink and purple. The font was elegant, with all sorts of fanciful curves and loops, and the material of the card was stiff, glossy, and high quality. How much did they spent making the invitations?

"Um, Sora?"

"I-I don't know," he admitted.

"It might be better if I read it first."

"Fine," he said, shoving the card into the blond's chest.

Roxas opened it slowly and examined the words. A flurry of emotions crossed his face, making Sora nervous.

"Well?"

"You sure you don't want to meet Xion?"

Sora glared.

"Fine, it says…" Roxas hesitated.

"It says what?" he snapped. His patience was running out.

"It says that...they're getting married."

Silence.

"Are you okay?"

No response.

"You're scaring me Sora."

His mouth moved but no words came out.

"H-how do you feel?"

**SLAM!**

The door was shut in his face.

Sora was gone.

Roxas sighed. He felt bad for Sora, he truly did, but something like this was a golden opportunity. It was time Sora learned to move on. Roxas pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number.

"Yeah, Naminé? Can you come over to Sora's? He just got the news."


	2. Rooftop Confessions

**Rooftop Confessions  
**

It was a breathtaking sight.

The city bathed in the warm orange glow of the sun. Buildings lined the horizon, some with flat rooftops, and others as sharp spires that pierced the heavens, and Twilight Town's famous clock tower stood majestically. It was the kind of image you'd see on a postcard, but it was right before Naminé's eyes.

She looked around the rooftop until she acquired her target: Sora. He sat cross-legged, back hunched, with elbows on his thighs and hands beneath his chin. He looked so…lost. She walked forward, her blond tresses waving in the wind, until she was next to him. She was wearing a simple white summer dress.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked.

It was obvious that nobody was sitting there, but he answered anyways, shaking his head in the negative. She sat down and drew her knees close to her chest. She took a closer look at him.

His cheeks were gaunt with dark shadows and his mouth was set in a grim line. "Did Roxas call you over?"

She smiled softly. "Something like that. Are you okay?"

"No." It was a blunt, direct, but honest reply.

Out of everyone in Twilight Town, Naminé was the one knew him best. They came from the same place, Destiny Islands. She had dealt with Sora long enough to know what to do in a situation like this. He was a wallower, the type to indulge in pity parties and keep his feelings bottled up. For every good thing that was said, he would shoot it down with a witty retort that also doubled as a self-deprecating comment. He had to be coaxed into anger so that he could release pent up emotion.

"How do you feel?" she asked, sending out her feelers.

"What do you think?" It was a gruff reply.

"Let it all out. I'm here for you," she said soothingly.

He sat there, considering the proposition, and closed his eyes, feeling the wind blow against his face. It was one of the reasons why he liked it here. Although Roxas complained about how crappy the apartment was, the building held too many memories. He just couldn't abandon it. Even if his room was so small that he couldn't walk five feet without crashing into something, it was where he completed the first thing worth a damn in his life—_The Keyblade Chronicles_.

Whenever things got tough, he would climb to the top of the building and look over the landscape. The beautiful skyline had a way of calming him down. He would gaze up towards the sky and let himself be swallowed by an endless blue. He didn't have to think; he just let himself go.

But not this time.

"I feel like…" The words were stuck in his throat and his brain was a jumble, a broken mirror with sharp jagged cracks. "I feel like I lost," he said finally.

She was taken back. "Love isn't a game," she said quietly.

"I know it's not," he snapped. He struggled to put his feelings into words. Everything was scattershot. His mind couldn't stay straight, it kept going in circles. "It's just…damn it, I completely lost. Game over." He clenched his fists, fingernails digging into his skin. "The only thing that kept me going was the hope—I know it sounds pathetic—but I hoped that they would eventually split. They were together for what, ten years? Since high school, sophomore year! That's incredible, it's gotta be a record. How can you stay together for so long and not get tired of each other?" He knew he was rambling.

"Sora…"

"Yeah, I know. What if it was me, right? I thought, I just thought, hell; I don't even know what I thought. I'm just a stupid idiot." Everything was falling apart.

"Don't say that about yourself," she admonished. "You're more than that Sora, you're a true friend."

He choked out a miserable laugh. "Yeah, that's me. A true friend. Nothing else but."

"I don't mean it like that."

"Then how do you mean it? Tell me!"

She couldn't say anything.

"I thought so." He closed his eyes and fell on his back. "I lost and he won." It was just that simple. Girls weren't supposed to be prizes in the games that men played, but when two people want the same thing, it was the same as a competition. Inevitably, there would be a winner and a loser.

And he lost.

"I met her before he did. I thought that would at least count for something. We even shared paopu fruit together but that legend's just bullshit. I guess it makes sense though. They're perfect for each other. She's beautiful, he's handsome, and when you put two pretty people together, you have the perfect couple.

"He was always stronger than me, faster, and taller. I always hated how tall he was. Great at sports, athletic, and smart too. He's the total package. I was dumb to think I could ever compete.

"I was just lying to myself all these years. I know them too well. There was never a chance that they'd split. My only solace was that they weren't married. Now I don't even have that anymore.

"Marriage…the final fucking frontier." He was breathing hard, having spilled his frustration out.

Naminé's hand clamped his arm. "Are you finished yet?" she asked angrily.

"What?" He glanced at her; her eyes were wet with tears. "Naminé?"

She hugged him fiercely, arms wrapping tightly around his body. "You don't have to hold back Sora."

"Who says I am?" he said, laughing. "I'm just …" He choked back a sob. He couldn't finish the sentence. Her hug demolished all his defenses.

She held on as he shook silently, weeping in her embrace. Her dress was getting damp. She just wanted him to let it out—all the raw emotion, all the pent up hope, misery, and disappointment that went unanswered for the last decade.

He couldn't remember how long he was there. By the time he realized he was crying, it was already dark. The sun, long gone, was replaced with the night glow of Twilight Town. He pulled away, taking a deep breath.

"How do you feel?" the blonde asked, letting go of the man.

"Pathetic."

"Sora—" She stopped when she saw his grin.

"But better. Thanks for being here, I guess." It was awkward gratitude.

She was relieved. "You're welcome," she said, giggling. She sidled closer since the night chill descended upon them, and grabbed his hand. They sat there together, relishing each other's warmth. It was a funny situation. Their roles were reversed. It was usually Sora who helped her when she was in trouble. If it wasn't for him… She didn't want to imagine how her future would look if he hadn't come along. He was the one who rescued her from herself.

"I always saw myself as the hero," he said, interrupting the moment. She was surprised and wondered if he was telepathic.

"What do you mean?"

"In my story, the keyblade wielder, I'd imagine I was him."

"I see."

"And Kairi would be the princess. I wrote them together because it made sense. The hero always gets the princess. That's the rule of narrative; it's supposed to be destiny. When I finished the first two books, I still had hope. That was the one thing that kept me going. But I've been stuck for the last nine months. I'm getting nowhere with my story and now this happens. This writer's block might be my subconscious telling me to give up." She gazed at him as he tried to gather his bearings. "What is it?" he asked curiously.

She looked away, abashed. "I just had a bad thought."

"A bad thought? Come on, tell me."

"Well, it's just…I'm happy that we were able to meet each other."

"How's that bad?"

"Well…we only met because they got together, right?"

"Really?"

"Jeez, you don't even remember how we first met?"

"I'm trying very hard to forget those days," he said, smiling sadly.

"For what it's worth, I think the person that you are now, the person that you became, because of everything's that happened, is a person better than anyone I ever know."

He was stunned. It wasn't everyday when somebody basically called him awesome. "Even better than Roxas?"

"Just by a little bit, but don't tell him that."

"Whoa, seriously?"

They laughed.

She quieted down and put on a thoughtful expression that crinkled her face cutely. "Sora…there's something I have to tell you…" She struggled to find the right words. Whatever it was she had to say, it must've been serious. "The truth is…well, how can I say this?" She squirmed and fidgeted. He couldn't help it; her internal struggle was just too adorable and he started to laugh. "Hey, this is serious here!"

"I'm sorry, it's just—you're too cute."

She blushed. "I hate it when you say things like that. Because then you start to give me hope…"

He sensed that the conversation had just taken an unexpected turn. "Naminé?"

"I—" She hesitated. This continued for a while, she hemmed and hawed while he waited patiently. She bit her lip, bowed her head, closed her eyes, clutched the hem of her dress, and steeled her resolve.

"I love you."

His heart stilled, the blood stopped flowing through his veins, and he felt the sensation of pinprick needles spreading through his body. It was getting hot. "W-wha—" he stuttered.

She held up a hand to stop him. "It's okay," she said, laughing at his baffled face. She let out a long sigh. "Whew! That felt really good to say. I've been waiting to say that for a really long time now." Her cheeks were warm. She was trying to avoid eye contact and she couldn't help but feel giddy.

Did he just miss something here? "Naminé, you just confessed to me," he stated incredulously.

"I know. Did you forget about your troubles?"

"I—well, yeah, but that doesn't matter right now. You just said something really shocking right now! Was that a joke or something? You shouldn't pull stunts like that!"

She grinned at him. "Who says it's a stunt? It's the truth."

He was at a loss for words. "What about Roxas?"

"He's my boyfriend, of course I love him. Is it strange of me to say that I love you even though I'm your cousin's girlfriend?"

"Um, yes? There are rules about these kinds of things," he explained, desperately trying to make sense of the situation.

She giggled madly, as if high on some kind of drug. "Sora, relax. I've felt this way about you for a very long time but I know that…in your heart, there's only one person, right?"

He averted his gaze.

"You still love her, even after all this time…if you weren't so hung up on her, you would've been mine already," she declared, "but I guess it's impossible for me. I can't replace her. I understand how it feels; you can't really forget your first love. Time helps though. Eventually, I learned to move on." She touched his chin, and turned his face to hers. "You deserve better than her, move on…like how I did."

She gave him a small kiss on the lips.

It was her sweet finality.

She withdrew and watched as conflict played his face. He felt his lips and smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize—well, maybe—I didn't actually think that—"

"You don't have to apologize for anything. I'm happy with Roxas now, and that's thanks to you too."

He was the luckiest guy in the world to have a friend like Naminé. What did he ever do to deserve her? Actually, the more pressing question was how to play this. She just threw one massive monkey wrench into the works after all. "This doesn't make things awkward between us does it? I mean, you said you love me, like in the present tense, not past tense, and I'm just trying to figure out…"

"Sora."

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"Okay."

She laughed. "It's a complicated feeling," she admitted, "I don't really know how to describe it, but things are fine just the way they are. Don't worry about it."

"How can I not worry about it?"

She thought about it for a second. "Okay, how about this? If Roxas and me ever break up, would you mind becoming my boyfriend?"

How could he deny her sweet offer? "So I'm just a consolation prize then?" She slapped his hand. "I'm joking!"

"How rude." She couldn't keep her frown on for too long and started laughing along with him.

"Okay, yes. I wouldn't mind. In the unlikely event that you and Roxas break up, I'll definitely be there for you."

"It's a promise then."

She stuck her hand out.

He shook it.

Somehow, he got the feeling he made a deal with a witch.

What a day. Naminé, his best friend in Twilight Town, just confessed to him. It was weird, considering she was dating Roxas and all, but he had to admit, it felt really good—almost good enough to forget about Kairi. Keyword: almost.

"Thanks Naminé." He blew on his hands to warm them up. "But I don't know how you can do it. Moving on… It seems impossible."

She gripped his hand. "Nothing's impossible. Remember, you're not alone. I'll be there with you, all of us, me and Roxas. You don't have to run away anymore."

He looked into her eyes and saw nothing but pure sincerity. He squeezed her hands in gratitude. "Thanks…"

They sat there in a comfortable silence.

"But just to confirm, is that a real promise we just made?" Naminé punched his arm. "Ow!"

She stuck her tongue out. "What do you think?" She got up on her feet. "Let's get out of here, it's getting cold." She walked to the rooftop entrance and disappeared, leaving him alone on the roof.

"She never answered my question…"


	3. Past Time

**Past Time**

Sora stood before the Twilight Delivery office.

It was a tall building in the Twilight Town business district, made up entirely of windows and intersecting metal beams, a true modern masterpiece of glass architecture. It used to be an old brick house, but success had a way of changing things.

He pushed through the swivel doors and entered the lobby. The interior was no less spectacular, with gleaming marble floors and shining walls. The glass design allowed ample light in, and with all the reflective surfaces inside, it gave the illusion of being in a giant crystal. He found the receptionist's desk.

"How may I help you?" The girl didn't even bother to look up.

"I'm here to see Roxas."

"I'm sorry, he's in a meeting, Mister—oh, I didn't know it was you, Sora!" She flipped a switch and became more animated. She batted her eyelashes demurely. "You can go right on ahead." She winked like it was just a secret between them.

He fought the urge to roll his eyes in front of her, nodded, and made his way towards the elevator where the metal doors parted. He entered and punched the button for the top floor.

Roxas' office was at the very top, which was natural considering he owned the company. He inherited the business from his father when the old man retired. Unfortunately, it came into his hands during a full-blown recession. Thanks to his innovative thinking, by taking full advantage of smartphones and the internet, Roxas saved Twilight Delivery and turned it into the delivery method of choice. It wasn't as big as MoogleMail, but few things were. He had certainly gone a long way from being the teenager who used to deliver packages by skateboard.

Sora was here to pick up Roxas. Today was the day of departure. After much deliberation, he decided to return to Destiny Islands. Even though it was the last thing he wanted to do, he felt like he had no choice. He couldn't just run away forever. If he ignored the invitation, Naminé and Roxas would probably knock him out and drag him back anyways. If he was going to be there, it would be by his own volition.

The elevator gave a soft "ding!" to signal the end of the ride. He left the lift and walked to a giant set of doors made of pristine wood. He opened it.

"Make sure you give extra care to their packages, they're our biggest client and take top priority—oh hey, you're here!" Roxas said in surprise. He was in the middle of a conversation with a woman who had black hair in a pixie cut. She wore a smart business suit, a white collar shirt, and light-colored pants.

Sora raised an eyebrow; she looked like Kairi.

Roxas didn't miss the glance. "Ah, let me introduce you two. Sora, this is my new manager, Xion. Xion, this is my cousin." He drew them close together.

"Nice to meet you," she greeted. She put her hand out for a shake.

Sora was struck by the resemblance. Her black hair reminded him of Kairi in her younger days when she kept her hair short. Her eyes even shared the same shade of purple-blue. He heard about doppelgangers before, but this was ridiculous.

"Ahem," Roxas coughed.

Sora snapped out of it. "Er—likewise." He hastily shook her hand.

"So, what brings you here?" the blond asked.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" Sora replied, glancing at Xion.

"No no, it's fine! I'm just telling her to hold down the fort until we come back from the wedding."

Sora was appalled. "Always waiting until the last second to do things? The cab's outside and Naminé's waiting."

"Shit, it's time already? Okay, just gimme a few minutes, I have to sign off on a couple papers." He scrambled around the desk, fishing for important papers, and hastily signed his name.

Sora folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.

Xion, feeling brushed aside, tried to make small talk. "So…" she started with uncertainty, "where's the wedding?"

"Hm?" He turned to her and was once again struck by the similarities. Were they related somehow? He drew his attention back to Roxas to avoid looking at her face. "Um…the wedding's in Destiny Islands."

"Destiny Islands? It must be expensive to hold a wedding there."

Destiny Islands was a tropical paradise—at least to the people who didn't live there. As a long-time resident, Sora found the Twilight Town skyline to be just as good as the beach sunsets he'd witnessed his entire life. "Not if you live there. You've never been to Destiny Islands?"

"Can't say I have."

"It's where I was born; I lived most of my life there."

"Wow. It must be a great place."

"Yeah, must be…" he trailed off. Dark images of the past briefly flashed in his mind.

"Alright, finished!" Roxas looked up to see them in a small, if awkward, conversation.

"Can we go now?" the brunet whined.

Roxas stared at them from behind the desk. An idea just hatched and his eyes took on a devilish sparkle. "You've never been to Destiny Islands, right Xion? How would you like to go?"

Her eyes widened. "What? But I don't have any—"

"It's fine, I'll pay for your ticket," he assured.

"What's the big idea?" Sora cut in.

"What about the office?" she brought up meekly.

"The office can take care of itself, I'm on call anyways."

"But I'm not invited."

Sora nodded along with her.

"Don't worry, you're plus one."

"I'm plus one?" "She's plus one?" they said in unison.

"Is there an echo in here? Yeah, I RSVP'd plus one on your card," he told Sora.

The brunet frowned. "When did you do that?"

"Don't worry about it, you said Naminé's waiting in the cab right? Let's go!"

He tugged both of them out.

Naminé was waiting outside near the car. She spotted Roxas coming out of the building with Sora in tow, along with another person she didn't recognize. The trio came up to her.

"What took you so long?" she asked.

Roxas picked up on her confusion and turned to Sora and Xion, "Uh, can you guys give us a minute?" He pulled Naminé aside for a quick word, leaving Sora and Xion alone together.

Sora stuffed his hands into his pockets and tried to avoid looking at the girl beside him.

"Um…do you know what's going on?" She was confused.

Sora shrugged his shoulders. "Don't mind him. He gets these crazy ideas from time to time. Decline any offer he makes," he advised.

"Okay...?"

He didn't reply because there was nothing more to be said. He observed her from the corner of his eye and saw that she was noticeably put off from his curt demeanor. He couldn't help it, she reminded him too much of the past. He snuck another glance; she seemed to be gazing intently at his cousin. Off in the distance, Roxas was wildly gesturing his arms in his conversation with Naminé. Xion giggled at the sight.

"He's taken."

Caught off-guard by the comment, she turned to face Sora but he was already looking the other way. Before she could retort, Naminé came up to them.

"Hi, we haven't been introduced have we? I'm Naminé, Roxas' girlfriend." She put her hand out.

"I—I'm Xion," she replied, slightly surprised.

They shook hands.

"I'll be waiting in the car," Sora declared. He left the two girls and approached Roxas, who was on his cell phone. "Hey Roxas!"

The blond held up a finger and continued to talk on his phone. "Really? Okay, great, I owe you big time!" He snapped the phone shut and turned to Sora. "What's up?"

"You're not serious about bringing her along with us to Destiny Islands, are you?"

"Of course I am."

"Don't you think this is going a little too far?"

"Oh come on, I saw the way you were looking at her."

Sora bristled. "That was—it's a very strong resemblance, okay? It doesn't mean that they're the same person. Besides, did it ever occur to you that she might not be interested in me?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because she likes you."

"What?" he shouted, almost falling over.

Sora laughed. "She has a crush on her boss, how adorable."

Roxas recovered. "I see what you're doing; you're trying to turn this around on me. I'm not falling for it. She's coming, whether you like it or not."

Sora scoffed. His cousin had too much free time on his hands. "Do whatever you want, I don't care."

Roxas was a meddler. It was the reason why he was so good at his job. No matter how small the problem, he just had to get involved and give it his personal attention. While it was an admirable trait to have in the business world, it was absolutely maddening for Sora. Once Roxas got going, it was hard to get out of his pace.

* * *

Sora found himself sitting next to Xion on a first-class flight to Destiny Islands. It amazed him how Roxas could do so much on such short notice. How Roxas was able to book an extra seat in first-class in mere minutes was beyond his comprehension. Sora had the aisle seat while Xion sat next to the window. Roxas and Naminé were sitting in front of them.

"Sorry about this. Roxas does what he wants **without any consideration for the feelings of other people**," he told Xion, loudly emphasizing the last part so Roxas could hear.

Xion smiled awkwardly. "It's okay. I'm actually kind of excited. I just wish I had more time to pack my things."

"Don't worry about it!" Roxas piped, popping his head out, "I've arranged to have your luggage sent in on the next flight to Destiny Islands."

Xion's mouth opened in surprise. "Oh! You didn't have to."

Roxas shrugged it off. "It's nothing. Don't you know? I'm a pro at delivering packages; picking up luggage is child's play."

"Thanks," she said, giggling.

After Roxas disappeared behind his seat, she frowned. She was grateful to have her stuff delivered on this impromptu trip, but what was up with the guy beside her? Every time she glanced at him, he would be facing the other direction. Was she that ugly? It wasn't just that though, his little comment when they were waiting for Roxas and Naminé also irritated her. First of all, how the heck did he know? And second of all, he crushed her little crush minutes after meeting her. She felt dumb. This stranger, who she barely knew for half a day, already discovered her secret and squashed it. Feeling slightly irritated, she blew on her bangs.

"You wouldn't…" Sora blurted out suddenly.

She turned to face him and he paused. "Yes?"

"You wouldn't happen to know a Kairi, do you?"

It didn't take her long to answer since she never heard the name before. "No."

He almost laughed. "Ah, sorry if I'm acting a little weird."

Just a little? More like completely. "Well an explanation would be nice."

"It's just that—you look a lot like someone I know."

"Don't be so vague about it," Roxas added, poking his head around the seat again.

Sora gave his cousin a blank stare. "Is your girlfriend's company so dull that you have to eavesdrop on our conversation?"

Roxas gave a wry smile. "You're not being entirely honest here," he accused. He turned to Xion, "The truth is, you look a lot like the bride of the wedding that we're going to."

"The bride?" she repeated.

"Roxas, get back here." His head was pulled behind the seat.

"Thank you, Naminé," said Sora. Her slender hand stretched out with a thumbs up. He turned to Xion. "So that's the reason. I just thought that you might know her, or be related somehow."

"Now I'm really curious to see how she looks like."

"She's beautiful," he said reflexively.

Was that an indirect compliment? Xion blushed and found the window very interesting.

Sora waited for a reply that never came. It was silent for a few minutes until it dawned on him that he called Xion beautiful indirectly. He smiled at his mistake. Feeling a bit tired, he fell into his seat and closed his eyes.

It was strange to think that, up until a few days ago, his world was utterly still. The writer's block had frozen time. Days of nothing turned into weeks, weeks that blurred into months, and months that turned into nothing, but one little card kicked off an avalanche that threatened to bury him. So much had happened in so little time that a long flight was exactly what he needed.

Although Kairi now occupied a very large part of his mindshare, Naminé had certainly thrown him for a loop. She wasn't always like that. To be that bold and daring… It was a testament to her ability to change. She used to be so timid and shy. He began to will forth forgotten memories, memories of a little art room, and the shy girl who occupied it.

* * *

The door closed with a "click!"

A fifteen year-old boy, dressed in the classic Destiny High School uniform of white shirt and dark slacks, turned around to inspect the art room. It was a studio with concrete flooring, the ground covered with poster paper and paint spatter. There were a bunch of empty chairs, carts full of art supplies, and a little girl peeking her head out from behind a canvas—wait, what? He wasn't expecting that.

She was blonde, with blue eyes wide in confusion. Her sleeves were rolled up and a paintbrush was in her hand. An errant drop of paint hit the ground.

"Sorry for bothering you, but if anybody comes in, I was never here." He took a quick look around and found a giant green locker. He opened it and stuffed himself in. The blonde girl was bewildered by the intrusion, his words, and by what he just did. As he predicted though, somebody came.

"Oh!" the intruder gasped. It was a girl with dark auburn hair and purple-blue eyes; she seemed to be breathing hard. "I'm sorry, but did you see anybody run by? He has brown spiky hair, a goofy looking face, and a stupid grin." She described the previous visitor down to a T, but the blonde girl shook her head no. "Oh, well, thanks anyway!" She left.

The locker door creaked open and the boy fell out, his once white shirt now stained with various colors. "You're a life saver." He breathed in deeply. "Wow, it's nice to finally breathe some fresh air. It smells like paint in there. I swear I was getting high," he said, laughing.

The girl stared quietly at the boy.

"My name's Sora, what's yours?"

She put her head down.

He walked a few steps closer.

She jerked up and tried to cover the canvas with her body.

He was confused and a bit disheartened.

"I'm sorry for bothering you," he said quickly. He shuffled out of the room, and out of the awkwardness.

Alone by herself in the art studio, she mentally berated herself. That was her chance to actually talk to someone, a chance to not be alone, but she screwed up the opportunity like always. Why did it always have to be like this? He was probably never going to come back.

The next day, the same door opened and closed with a quiet click. She looked up, surprised to the see the same boy from yesterday. He put a finger to his mouth, "Shhhh." He ducked behind the teacher's desk.

The door opened again, "I'm sorry for bothering you again, but did you see anybody come in here?" The blonde shook her head no. "Really? I could've sworn—thanks anyway." The door shut.

Sora's head peeked out from under the desk. "Thanks." He got up and sat on a desktop. He started scratching his head. "About yesterday, sorry if I offended you."

She was warring with herself, say something, anything!

"I can leave if you want."

She shook her head furiously.

"Or I could keep you company?"

She nodded vigorously.

He grinned. "You can talk, you know. I won't bite."

She opened her mouth but no sound came out. She couldn't speak. Great, now he was going to think she was weird!

"I don't think it's weird," he assured.

Her mouth opened in shock. How did he know?

"I was like you once, believe it or not."

Her head tilted curiously.

"Of course, this was like years ago, back when I was in elementary school."

Her cheeks colored.

"Oh, I'm not trying to say that you're a kid or anything like that, I'm just, well, I know what its like to be alone…and afraid."

She didn't say anything.

"We could all use a little company, even if we think we don't need it." Although her cheeks were still warm from embarrassment, she visibly relaxed. He wasn't running away or making fun of her, that was a good sign…right?

He took a few careful steps closer and pointed to the canvas. "Do you mind if I take a look?"

She was torn. Should she, or should she not?

"I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to."

She bit her lip. This was your chance, take it! She took a few steps back and motioned with her head, telling him to step in.

"Really?"

She nodded yes.

He moved behind the canvas to see the picture. It was a painting of the beach, and it was wonderful. She had captured the sunset perfectly. She chose the moment when the sun was just about to dip below the horizon. The colors swirled and exploded and the sky became a collage of yellow, orange, red, and blue. The detail was impeccable. On the sand was a figure, a little girl sitting by herself, all alone.

"Wow, this is amazing!" he gushed. At the corner of the painting was her signature. "Naminé…" he said softly, testing the name on his tongue. "It's a very nice name." He turned around and saw her looking away in embarrassment. "I'm being serious here," he said, laughing. "Are you always here by yourself?"

She nodded affirmatively.

"If you don't mind, do you think I could stay here from now on? I'm getting tired of running away."

Naminé, whatever you do, don't let this opportunity slip by! She nodded enthusiastically.

So the days went on. He dropped by frequently—more often than she anticipated. She figured he would get tired of her and stop coming one day, but he kept showing up—not that she minded, of course. It was nice. She never said anything but he didn't seem to mind. He would talk about random things and she would listen intently. Sometimes, he told funny stories and got a giggle or two out of her. He became a constant and comfortable presence. One day, she worked up enough courage to finally say something.

_"…why?"_

Sora latched on to it with the excitement of a mother hearing her newborn's first words. He was about to blather on about her great progress but paused to seriously consider the question. Why? Why what?

_"…why are you here?"_ She clutched her mouth immediately, as if she said something offensive. It probably didn't come out the way she wanted it to, but he understood instinctively.

"Why indeed?" he said, smiling. "To be honest, I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart." He paused. "I'm actually a selfish guy."

She was puzzled.

"I'm just using you to…run away from my own problems."

She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"You know that girl who keeps looking for me?"

She nodded.

"Her name's Kairi. And…"

And…what?

"And I'm in love with her."

She almost fell out of her chair. The confession was entirely unexpected and just a bit…irritating?

"I'm glad I got that off my chest. It's been weighing on me for a really long time now." He let out a relieved chuckle. "The problem is that we're best friends. If I told her how I really felt, it would probably ruin our friendship. I know it's corny, but it's the truth."

Her expectant gaze urged him to continue.

"You see… She was the one who broke my shell and turned me into who I am today. Maybe it's not love, maybe it's just a crush, infatuation, some kind of misplaced gratitude, but this feeling, whatever it is, I just can't let it go. But there's also something else, if you can believe it." He laughed sardonically. "She already has a boyfriend, and he happens to be my other best friend, Riku. I want to hate him, but I can't, he's like a brother to me. I should be happy for them, I'm supposed to be happy for them, but I'm not. And every time I'm around them, I just feel like…like I'm dying. I can't stand it. So I avoid them. If I don't see them, well, outta sight outta mind, right?"

When she asked her question, she certainly didn't expect that kind of answer. He never once mentioned Kairi or Riku in any of his rambles. It was also a lot to take in at once.

"I'm sorry for laying it on you like that, but I figured you'd be the last person to reveal my secret."

She gave a wan smile.

"I've tried to endure it, smile and pretend that everything was alright, but I can't. And I don't want her to know about my true feelings either. If she knew, then things wouldn't be the same. I mean, things are already bad now, but if she knew, then she would probably break up with Riku out of some misguided sense of loyalty.

"I want her to be happy, and I know that Riku makes her happy, but I can't be around her if it's not me that's doing it, the one making her happy. I even tried to get her to hate me. Instead, she got even more worried. So I just run, hoping that she'll forget about me sooner or later. And I just happened to run into you."

He looked at her square in the eye.

"I'm really selfish, aren't I?"

She shook her head. _"I don't think_…that's selfish at all," she said quietly, almost like a whisper. "You're thinking about her happiness. It means…you care about her." Sora looked frustrated, like he wanted to say something but couldn't. Naminé didn't like his expression. She wanted to change it somehow. "You didn't have to talk to me…and you didn't have to become my friend, but you did. That's called…kindness. You're a good person, Sora."

"You have a nice voice," he mused out loud. She broke eye contact, her cheeks warming instantly. "You're just trying to make me feel better… But you know, it actually does make me feel better. Thanks."

She nodded her head as if to say, "_You're welcome_."

"You should talk more often," he advised. "A lot of people mistake shyness for arrogance. I'm sure you can make friends on your own if you tried, friends better than me anyways."

"I…"

He flashed his famous lady-killer grin. "Don't worry; I'll help you through it. After all, I think we made a lot of progress today!"

Her face burned. Why did he have to be so embarrassing!

He came by every day to talk with her, to listen to her, and to be a good friend to her. He supported her in everything, providing encouragement in her artistic endeavors, and giving her the courage to speak with other students. He was with her every step of the way. She took his advice to heart, and slowly but surely, she began making new friends, and did all kinds of things that she never expected. Shopping trips, eating out, sleepovers, it was an eye-opening experience. But he was wrong about one thing:

They weren't better than him.

"Sora!"

He turned around to see an energetic blonde run up to him. He smiled. She had changed so much in the past two years since he met her. They were seniors now. "Oh, Naminé, how's it going?"

She gathered her breath. School had just let out. "It's good, great actually, I just wanted to know if you got accepted anywhere?"

"You're talking about college? I already made my decision."

"Y-you did?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why the curiosity?"

"I just thought it would be nice if we went to the same school," she said quietly.

Sora laughed. Naminé always had a tendency to say important things in a whisper, as if saying it any louder would lead to disaster. "It _would_ be nice. I'm going to Twilight University."

"Twilight University? Isn't that really far away?"

"My cousin lives in Twilight Town and he's going to the same place. I figure I could just live with him. Also, the chances of seeing Kairi and Riku are…slim to nil."

"Oh…I see."

"You wanna get something to eat right now? I'm starving!"

She gave a hesitant smile, her mind mulling over what he said. "Y-Yeah…"

After that encounter, Naminé looked at all the schools in Twilight Town until she found the perfect one, an art academy that was conveniently located near Twilight U. Even if they didn't go to the same school, they were close.

Despite time and distance, Sora was never able to forget Kairi. Eventually he introduced Naminé to Roxas when she came to visit his home. The rest, as they say, is history.

* * *

"Now arriving at Destiny Islands," a feminine voice announced over the PA.

Sora opened his eyes. He was back on the plane again. He looked to his left and saw Xion snoozing against the seat cushion. Outside the window, he could see the morning sun coming up. He fell back against the seat.

Now that he thought about it, he was a complete moron for not realizing it sooner. If he had given her a chance—no—if he had given _himself_ a chance, he might've been able to move on. But the past was the past. Naminé was happy with Roxas now. It was like she said; you could never really forget your first love. The problem was…

Kairi was his first and only love.

The plane started shaking as it lowered onto the runway. Xion and the others were beginning to stir awake.

They had arrived.


	4. Home Sweet Home

**Home Sweet Home  
**

It was a winding ride with too many familiar sights and sounds.

With each rock, tree, and little piece of landmark that he recognized, the memories that he tried so hard to forget came gushing forth with a vengeance. It was all coming back. He was home again.

It was the yellow that let him know. Unlike the orange skies of Twilight Town that tinted the entire city in warm hues, Destiny Islands flared brightly with the sun beaming pure light directly from above. Destiny Islands was located on the equator, ensuring amazing sunsets at any time of the year. Every day was filled with a beautiful light.

Sora sat beside the taxi driver, giving him a front seat to the island scenery of palm trees and other tropical flora. They had just left the airport and with every twist and turn, the cab was moving inexorably towards a confrontation he'd been avoiding for years. He wasn't sure how to feel; there were too many conflicting thoughts and emotions.

He could hear chatter in the backseat but didn't pay it much mind. Naminé was busy explaining to the other two about the island attractions from the stunning beaches, the sparkling ocean water, and of course, the great island food. Destiny Islands was an amazing place to grow up in. If it wasn't for his sense of impending doom, he could've at least enjoyed the sunshine.

The shops, buildings, and parks that used to settle comfortably in the confines of his forgotten memories were now starting to appear. They were getting close, too close.

After a few more streets corners, the cab made its way to the old neighborhood and pulled up to a quaint, two-story house. It was a homely abode, painted in soft colors of beige, yellow, and red. The lawn grass was cut perfectly like Astroturf, colorful plants shielded the walls, well-trimmed bushes separated the house from the neighbors, and a mélange of flowers outlined a stone walkway to the front door. The neighboring homes were droll by comparison. It was a nice little suburb. Houses crawled over curves that sprawled throughout the island hills. Sora lived inland, away from the coast, but the great view made up for the distance from the beach. He could see the entire island, from the mountains up high, to the beachfront down below.

He stepped out of the cab and set his foot down. It was like all the energy from his body was sucked through his feet—if it wasn't for his grasp on the car, he would've fallen over. Most people welcomed the sight of home, their hearts filling up with warmth and nostalgia, but for Sora, his heart only sank. "This is it, guys, my house."

The backseat doors opened and the others got out to inspect the building.

"We're staying here?" Xion asked in surprise. She was expecting to check into a hotel.

Roxas grinned. "Cheaper and better than staying at a hotel."

"Glad to see you treat my home like an inn," Sora deadpanned. "Naminé, are you staying at my place too?"

She nodded.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with your parents?"

She shook her head. "It'll be more convenient for everyone to stick together. I'll visit them after we finish unpacking."

"Well, Mom always did like visitors."

"Does she know we're here?"

"Yeah, I gave her a call as soon as we landed." He gave his home another hard look. "She said that...that they're here."

She understood what he meant. "Go on ahead, we'll take out the luggage," she suggested.

Roxas was about to complain but quieted when he saw her glare. He wilted, and moved reluctantly towards the trunk.

Sora took a few tentative steps toward the house but stopped. Could he do this? What could stop him from running away now? He didn't have to face them. He could just leave, forget it all, and ditch everybody at the last moment. He turned around.

Naminé stared back and gave an encouraging smile.

Roxas popped the trunk and looked up with an irritated face.

Xion was just perplexed.

Sora laughed. He couldn't run away now, not when there were people behind him. If he was to stop now, they would just push him forward. He couldn't go this far just to let them down. Firmly resolved, he carefully walked up the stone path and planted himself before the entrance. Behind the door were his two best friends, and the two last people in the world that he wanted to see. He looked over the house, realizing the subtle changes that had taken place since the passage of time. Chips, breaks, and crevices crackled across the walls like lightning. The mounted mailbox was tilting off-balance.

He straightened it out.

And took a deep breath.

No time like the present right?

He lifted his hand, turned his knuckles to face the wood, and was about to knock when the door suddenly opened.

He lost his breath.

It was Kairi.

But it also wasn't Kairi. The mental image he had when he last saw her didn't do justice to the reality, to the beautiful bride-to-be standing in front of him. A sleeveless pink colored blouse hugged her body while Capri pants fit snugly around her legs. She had matured, her hair cascading down her shoulders like shimmering drapes, and her face was graced with smooth porcelain skin. Her soft pink lips formed an 'o,' and her purple-blue orbs widened in surprise, which quickly brightened into relief, and narrowed into...anger?

She suddenly crushed him in a hug, her arms bound tightly around his body. His senses disappeared, his face flush in her hair, and the scent of citrus tangerines overwhelmed him. He wasn't sure whether to hug her back, but her grip was so great, he couldn't even move his arms. It was an inescapable hold rather than an act of affection.

"Kairi..." he sad, his voice strained.

Riku walked into view, his turquoise eyes lighting up in recognition. He was smartly dressed in a black long sleeve shirt and light slacks. Before Sora could say anything, the pressure left—she had let go. Now out of the bear hug, he took in some much-needed oxygen and—

**Slap!**

His cheek stung from Kairi's slap, but he wasn't surprised. Her eyes were on fire, glaring at him with such ferocity, he was afraid he'd be turned into stone. "I guess I deserved that."

**Punch!**

"Ow!" It wasn't a friendly shot to the arm; it was a punch to the gut.

**Kick!**

"Ouch!"

"Kairi, that's enough," Riku interrupted, grabbing a hold of the woman.

Sora crouched over, one hand rubbing his shins gingerly, and the other massaging his stomach. Part of him was irritated, but he relieved to know that she still cared enough to physically hurt him. That didn't sound right.

"Sora!" He tilted his head upwards only to see Kairi glower at him with the force of a thousand suns, the anger radiating from her face in waves of heat. "You jerk." She crossed her arms and went into the dining room, leaving the two men alone. Riku put out a helpless smile.

"She's…still the same, isn't she?" the downed brunet gasped.

Riku stretched out his hand, "Unfortunately," and pulled the writer up. "You okay?"

Sora dusted off his pants. "It's nothing. I think I got off rather easy." There was no reply. He looked up to see Riku wearing a pensive look that didn't suit his face. "What is it?"

"It's just been...so long. It's really good to see you." Riku gave his estranged friend an overdue hug. "It's been too long, way too long." He patted Sora's back heartily and let go, and sent a quick glance towards the dining room. "Even if she doesn't say it, she's really missed you too."

Sora soothed his cheek gently with his palm. "She didn't have to; she has her own way of showing her appreciation."

"You're right." The groom-to-be laughed. He looked over Sora's shoulder and noticed the others unpacking. "I see Naminé and Roxas, but who's the other girl?"

"Oh, her? That's Xion."

A light bulb went off above Riku's head. "Oh yeah, she's your plus one! I was really surprised when I got your RSVP."

"That makes two of us."

"Haha, what's that supposed to mean? She's pretty cute! She kind of reminds me of Kairi actually. So...what's she like?"

Sora rolled his eyes at the predictable response. Riku was already gossiping like a little schoolgirl. The concept of him having a girlfriend, of all people, must've be pretty damn novel for everybody to constantly pester him about it.

"Forget it, you can just tell me later," Riku said, changing his mind. "Once you're done unpacking, go into the dining room, there's something Kairi and I need to talk to you about."

Something to talk about? Sora was a little scared. Did they figure out why he was gone for so long? "Something serious?"

"It's nothing, just come in when you have the time. I'm going to check in on her now." He went for the door, put his hand on the knob, and turned it. "Even though she doesn't look like it, she's really happy to have you back." He closed the door behind him.

Sora was left wondering about those words. He looked around the foyer and saw that things hadn't changed much. The stairway was close to the main entrance. He remembered coming home from school and running through the front door and up the stairs in one smooth motion. A big potted plant in the corner served as a welcoming prop and the lacquered hardwood floor was as shiny as ever.

Footsteps thudded from behind. "Sora, are you okay?" Naminé set her luggage by the staircase. "I saw what happened. You're not hurt or anything, are you?"

He gave a weak smile. "Just my pride."

She chuckled. The other two followed in tow with their own luggage.

"Where should we put our stuff?"

"Just leave it out in the living room for now, all the guest rooms are upstairs," a voice chimed in. Sora recognized who it was but was engulfed in a hug before he could say anything. "Welcome back," the woman said. She was beautiful, with brunette hair in a braided ponytail and emerald eyes. She wore an elegant but simple purple dress that touched her ankles and a red sweater.

"Who's that?" Xion whispered to Roxas, "his sister?"

"He doesn't have a sister, that's his mom," he said, snickering.

Shock splayed across her face. "His mom? But she's so young!"

"Why thanks for the compliment!" the woman chirped.

Xion reddened, having been caught.

"Ms. Hikari." "Auntie." "Mom…" the friend, the cousin, and the son all said in unison.

She let go of her son and gave them all a hearty smile. "Good to see all of you again! And hello to the new faces," she greeted, looking at Xion. "Come on, I'll show you all to your rooms and Sora, don't keep them waiting." She motioned with her head towards the dining room, where Kairi and Riku were.

"Oh, right." He grabbed his luggage, which wasn't much, and ran upstairs. Once he reached the second floor, he spotted the entrance to his room. He put his forehead against the wooden door. His eyes inspected the texture closely, seeing patterns that he never noticed before. He grabbed the knob and entered.

It was just the way he left it: tidy. To his right was his desk and dresser where he spent most of his days studying. Although it didn't look like it, he was quite the student back in high school. Academic excellence driven by depression probably wasn't something to be proud of, but it was academic excellence nonetheless. He put his hand on the surface, wiping off a thin layer of dust with his fingertips.

It was all about distraction. As long as he didn't have to think about Riku and Kairi, he wouldn't have to feel pain. Studying was just one way of distracting himself. In a way, writing _The_ _Keyblade Chronicles_ was also a distraction. It was all the same, running away was running away whether it was with homework, moving to Twilight Town, making new friends, or trying to solve everybody else's problems except his own.

He threw his bag in the corner and fell on the bed, his face greeting an old friend, the ceiling. It looked down on him in the same stoic manner it had all those years ago. He had spent many days in bed, staring at the ceiling, all in an effort to avoid seeing them.

He was wasting time and he knew it. He couldn't avoid this confrontation forever. He got up from the bed feeling weaker than before and exited the room, stumbling down the stairway until he reached the dining room door. He cast a glance towards the living room where his mom was entertaining the guests. Naminé noticed him and nodded. No backing out now. He entered the dining room.

There was a dining table, a rectangle slab of wood covered with table cloth and floral patterns. Above the table was a slow spinning ceiling fan. To the side was the kitchen, where the countertops were long, the sinks large, and the cabinets high. The floor was painted in a checkerboard pattern.

Riku was standing up, leaning against one of the counters while Kairi sat at the table. She appeared none-too-pleased and willed daggers through her scowl. Sora scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. "What's this about?" He remained standing and close to the door, just in case.

Riku shook his head. "I still can't believe it. You're actually here." Sora smiled softly. Riku was always a cool customer. Seeing him act like this was a little strange, but it showed how much he cared.

"Ugh, just get on with it," the redhead urged, breaking the pleasant atmosphere.

Riku gave an apologetic smile to excuse her rudeness. He got off the countertop and walked over to his friend. "I'll cut to the point: Sora, I want you to be my best man."

If he was drinking water, this was the part where he spit it out. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious." Riku crossed his arms. "I won't take 'no' for an answer."

Poor Sora was utterly confused. Wasn't the position of "best man" restricted to those who were considered "best friends?" They should've been strangers by now. That Riku still considered him a friend was a miracle.

"How can you ask me that after all that's happened? We haven't even seen each other in years."

"That doesn't matter to me. You're my friend Sora—more than that—you're my best friend. You're like a brother to me, and no amount of time lost can ever change that."

Sora could feel his eyes go glassy. He looked down but heard Kairi scoff. He thought about protesting, but no matter how he saw it, he'd probably end up saying yes. Riku would be too persistent. "Fine, I'll do it, but, isn't there like rehearsals or something?"

"Don't even worry about it, all you have to do is stand there and give me the ring when the time is right."

"You make it sound so easy."

"Because it is!" He was all grin and smiles. "This really means a lot to me you know?"

"Riku," Kairi called.

"Yes, honey?"

"Do you mind if Sora and I talk alone?"

"Not at all. I'll see the others and say 'hello.' Just…don't be too harsh okay?" She acknowledged him with a damning gaze. The groom-to-be sighed and left the room.

It was just them now, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was going to be judged and executed on the spot. "Are you just going to stand there all day? Take a seat," she ordered.

A quick escape was out of the question now. He approached the table warily and sat down. He could now take the time to fully appreciate her beauty, even she was glaring at him at the moment. He looked down at the folded hands and tried to ignore her heated stare. What she was going to do next? Kick his legs? Smack him across the face? Cuss up a storm?

"I've missed you."

"Huh?" He was expecting a lashing. He jerked his head up and saw that her gaze had softened.

"I said I've missed you, jerk. Don't you have anything to say back to me?"

He was a little embarrassed. "I-I've missed you too."

"That's not it."

What did she want to hear from him? "I'm…sorry?"

She sighed, exasperated. He couldn't read her. Was she angry, sad, tired, all three? Which was it? "Why? Why did you disappear?" Confused. That was it. She was just confused, natural, considering his absence and lack of contact.

He thought about the question. This was his chance. If there was any moment that demanded the truth, this was it. What better time to confess than one week before the wedding, before she was snatched away from him forever? "I was in a flighty mood, I guess," he joked. So much for that. He copped out.

"That's not funny."

"It's probably not." He chuckled.

Even after all this time, the idea of confessing scared him shitless. It shouldn't even matter at this point. She was already committed, wasn't she? What difference would it make if he said it now? She was already gone. Yet, he couldn't do it. Was he trying to protect her, or himself? He looked at her, really looked at her this time, straight into her eyes, and saw…

…fear.

Was she afraid? There could only be one reason for her fear—

"Tell me the truth, Sora. Do you..."

She knew.

She had to know. He was a dense guy, Naminé could certainly attest to that, but even density had its limits. If she obsessed over him even half as much as he did over her, the thought had to have occurred. Ten years to mull over the reasons why he left, and among them was hate, apathy, boredom, weariness, anger, and the most dangerous feeling of all—love.

"You probably know, don't you? Anything I say here is just a formality."

She cringed. "I want to hear it from you myself. The truth behind why—why my best friend, the greatest friend I ever had in this world, ran away from me." The tears threatened to spill from the corner of her eyes. She was hurting.

"Do you really want to know?" he whispered.

"Yes!" she yelled. "You abandoned me, Sora! If it wasn't for Riku, I'd be lost!"

"All you need is Riku," he let out in spite. She grimaced. He instantly regretted those words.

"Tell me, I need to know."

There was a long pause. They were two sides of the same coin. It was impossible for either of them to forget each other. They grew up together, as best friends, like brother and sister, and possibly lovers. The nature of their relationship defied labels. Their bond was still there, but with the strain of time and uncertainty, it had become fragile. Sure they were together now, in each other's presence like old friends, but for how long? If the truth spilled from his lips, their tenuous friendship might suffer the final blow. Would he deliver those words? The potential killshot to end what little hope there was for his miserable life?

"I…" he began.

The door burst open. It was Riku, and he was looking frazzled.

"Sorry Kairi, but something came up with the caterer's. We need to go solve it right away."

"Can't it wait? We're in the middle of something here."

He gave a pleading look. "You know I'm no good with these things, it's really urgent."

"Fine." She turned to Sora. "This conversation isn't over. If you're going to be the best man, you need to match the rest of the groomsmen; I'm going to take you in for a fitting tomorrow."

"Kairi, tomorrow we have to talk with the venue."

"Dammit Riku, why are you always getting in the way? The day after tomorrow then!" She glared at her fiancé, daring him to bring up another event that could possibly get in the way of a long overdue confrontation.

"That's fine, now let's get going." He tugged on Kairi's arm and turned to his friend. "Sorry we have to go on such short notice, but weddings always get a little hectic."

Sora didn't mind at all, it was a relief actually. "I understand. See you around."

"I'd better," he said, laughing back.

Kairi glanced at Sora one last time before leaving the room; it was a look that promised resolution.

Behind the wall, he could hear them saying their goodbyes to the others, the sound of their footsteps shuffling, and the "thud!" of the front door closing. They were finally gone. He let out a breath.

"That was…intense." He sank in his chair, thankful that Riku had interrupted him. When that moment came, he didn't know what to say. It was funny. He imagined the scenario a thousand times, thinking about all the possible ways he could go about it, and all the possible outcomes that could result. He thought he had mentally prepared himself for any eventuality, whether she would rejoice at his declaration of love, or whether she would most likely be horrified and end his life.

How wrong he was. Reality was completely different from his imagination. He had no control. There were no do-overs, just her overwhelming presence. He thought he could wriggle his way out of it but the look in her eyes wouldn't let him go that easily. "What a fine mess this is."

The door opened to reveal Naminé. She gave him a once over. He looked haggard. "They just left. Are you okay?"

"Just fine." The way he said it wasn't too reassuring.

She sat down beside him and held onto his hands. "What happened?"

"She wanted to know why I ran."

"…and?"

"And Riku saved my ass. Like always."

She giggled. "You got lucky this time, but you can't put it off forever."

"I know. Maybe. I don't know. I mean, you know what Riku asked me?"

"To be your best man?"

"You knew?"

"Riku was giddy about it. He told us you accepted." That sounded like Riku alright, always bragging about his friends. "You sure you want to do it?"

"He wouldn't take 'no' for an answer."

She squeezed his hands gently. "Whatever happens, I want you to know that we're behind you all the way. Me, Roxas, even Xion. We'll face it together."

"Thanks." He truly appreciated her. It was like she cared for nothing more than his happiness. Roxas just wanted him to get over Kairi as quickly as possible and move on. As for Xion, he felt sorry for her. She got caught up in this nonsense and didn't even know why. He should explain things to her properly whenever he got the chance.

"Now go get some rest, you look exhausted."

"Yeah yeah, it's been a long flight. Sleep sounds great about now." He got up from the table and his knees buckled.

"Ah!" Naminé caught him, steadying his body. "Need some help?"

He felt light headed. "A little."

He ambled towards the exit as she held on to him, keeping him from falling over. She carefully escorted him up the stairs and into his room, and put him to bed. "Good?"

He curled up, dragging the comforter over his shoulders. "Not really. Get back to me tomorrow morning."

She gave a soft smile and walked to the doorway.

"I will..." she whispered, before closing the door.


	5. Gratitude

**Gratitude **

Xion was lost.

She hated the feeling. There was nothing to do except sit on the couch and watch TV, and that was only because Ms. Hikari suggested it. Roxas and Naminé had left earlier to visit her parents. Xion didn't want to tag along for obvious reasons. Instead, she was stuck in a stranger's house. Life was weird like that. She woke up one day, went to work, and expected everything to be normal, but before she knew it, she was riding on a plane with her boss, his girlfriend, and his cousin, arriving at an island paradise for the wedding of a person she apparently resembled. She wasn't used to this much excitement in a month, much less a day.

Not paying much attention to the cartoons, her eyes wandered around the living room. There was nothing particularly special about it, but it gave off a homely feeling. It was probably due to the trinkets, baubles, figurines, and china on display. They sat on various tables, shelves, and glass cupboards. It was funny how these objects came from different places, but when it was put together, it made home feel like home. There were many photos on display. Framed portraits hung on the walls and small picture stands sat on the shelves. She got up to take a closer look. One photo showed a child, Ms. Hikari, and a man she didn't recognize. He was a tall man with black spiky hair and blue eyes. He was standing next to Sora's mother and between them was a small toddler grinning widely.

"That was Sora's father," a voice quipped.

Xion jumped at the voice and turned around, seeing Ms. Hikari's smiling face. She still couldn't get over how amazingly young Ms. Hikari looked and wondered if there some kind of white magic involved. She was also a little embarrassed, not only for jumping, but for being caught looking at the photos—then again, if they were out here, surely it was for the purpose of showing off?

She was suddenly struck by the strangeness of Ms. Hikari's statement. "_Was_?"

"He's passed away."

"Oh…I didn't know." Death was an uncomfortable subject only because she had no experience with it. What could she say in such situations? It wasn't like she understood because she didn't—and she hoped she would never have to.

"He died in a car accident when Sora was young. There are only a few pictures of us together." Ms. Hikari looked over the row of photos until she found the one she was looking for. "Here's a good one." Xion leaned over to see a picture of Sora, an auburn girl, and a silver-haired boy posing together. They were young, barely teenagers from the look of it.

"Is that…?"

Ms. Hikari nodded. "That's the wedding couple. There's Kairi, and that's Riku."

Xion blinked. The girl in the photo, Kairi, had her hair cut short, just like hers. Not only was the style the same, but her eyes even shared the same color. She could see why Sora acted like he did, the resemblance was uncanny. With as many people as there were in the world, there was bound to be at least two people that looked alike with no relationship to each other—that was how you got celebrity look-alikes. But beyond her resemblance to Kairi, which she chalked up as coincidence, the thing that really caught her attention was Sora. Even though she knew him for only a day, she could tell that the expression on his face was something that he hadn't worn in a while. "He looks so…happy."

"Are you talking about Sora?"

"Excuse me, I didn't mean to..." She was saying some pretty weird things lately.

"Your name is Xion, correct? How long have you known my son?" she asked softly.

"Not long," she revealed. "We just kind of met today."

The mother smiled. "Is there a story?"

"It's nothing really. I work under Roxas and he sort of dragged me along."

Ms. Hikari nodded. "Good to see Roxas has the same idea. Please take good care of my son while you're here."

What puzzling words, was she trying to imply something? Her face turned red and she stuttered, "I-I…will."

The mother returned the photo to its place and began looking for another one. "Ah, I love this picture. Take a look." She handed Xion a frame. It was a photo of Kairi and Sora. Kairi was wearing some kind of fancy dress but Sora was dressed in regular clothes. They looked a little older than before; it must've been high school. His arm was in a sling. "It was taken before prom. It was the last time I saw Sora smile like this."

"Smile?"

"He got it from his father. Even if he doesn't know it, it's actually his secret weapon: a real lady-killer grin."

Xion examined the photo closer, focusing on his face. Something about it made her heart skip a few beats. She had to admit, it was a wonderful smile.

"Don't tell me you're showing off photos to the guests?" a voice rang out from above. The two women turned their heads to the staircase, where Sora was walking down.

"Glad to see you're up," Ms. Hikari replied. "And what's wrong with showing off photos?"

Sora reached the bottom and walked into the living room. His clothes were different and his hair was still wet, probably from a shower before coming down. "Because it's embarrassing."

"If I really wanted to embarrass you, I would pull out the baby photos," his mom teased.

A hand ran through his hair nervously, "Please don't." He recalled that Kairi and Naminé went through the same treatment with his mother before, and he didn't want the same thing happening to Xion, especially since she was here on temporary basis. "Where are the others?"

"Roxas and Naminé are visiting her parents. Now go keep this nice girl some company while I cook dinner." She walked off towards the kitchen.

The two left alone, Sora turned to Xion who was standing by the photo stands. "Sorry about that, my mom never misses a chance to chat up guests."

Xion smiled pleasantly and returned to her seat. "Its okay, all moms are like that."

He walked over the carpeted floor and made himself comfortable on the couch. He made sure to keep some distance; it would be weird if he sat next to her. "Do you have any family?"

"Just me and my parents."

"That's good." There was a pause. "Sorry that you got dragged into this and everything. My cousin gets weird ideas all the time."

"It's not your fault. I've always wanted to visit Destiny Islands but I never had the chance. If I knew it was because of a wedding, I would've bought a dress."

"I remember you barely had any time to pack. Your things should come in tomorrow. I'm sure Naminé won't mind taking you out to buy a dress too."

She didn't say anything. They sat there for awhile watching cartoons in an uncomfortable silence. He turned to her and saw that she sat nervously, with her knees buckled inward and hands deposited between her legs. He felt guilty; he couldn't imagine being stuck in a stranger's house thousands of miles away from home. She noticed his stare and gave off a weak smile, a lame attempt to assuage his guilt. This was a chance to make it up to her.

"You don't have to stay cooped up in this house, what do you say I'll show you around town tomorrow?"

She perked up. "Really?"

"Better than staying here, no?"

Before she could answer back, Ms. Hikari yelled from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready!"

Sora waited for an answer.

"I don't mind—er—I mean I'd be glad if you would." It wasn't the most elegant answer, but Sora understood.

"Great, let's go get some dinner then."

The two got up and went to the dining room. Sora passed through the door for the second time that day and was surprised by how different everything felt. Just a few hours ago, he was sweating bullets in this very spot, but everything was a lot brighter now, even though it was dark outside. Plates were laid out with steaming food; it looked like a scrumptious feast. He couldn't recall the last time he had home cooking, so he dug in.

Dinner finished without incident, though his mom was pretty intent on getting Xion to talk, assailing her with questions upon questions, but he mostly tuned out the exchange by relishing the taste of dinner. Living alone in Twilight Town meant that he had to fend for himself, subsisting on a diet of instant food and the occasional lunch that Naminé would make for him. Nothing could compare to the taste of home however.

After dinner finished, Naminé and Roxas returned. They had already ate, but decided to help out and clean the dishes anyway. Naminé found out about Xion's situation regarding the dress and quickly pulled her aside for some much-needed consultation for the best places to shop at on Destiny Islands. The girls left to their own devices, the men pulled away—or more like Sora went to his room and Roxas followed.

Sora was at his desk, wiping off dust with a tissue. He didn't know if he was going to get any writing done while he was here, but it never hurt to have the space clean in case he was struck by inspiration.

Roxas sat at the bed, lazing about as if he owned the place. "So I hear you're taking Xion out tomorrow," he said, grinning from ear to ear. "Glad to see you're finally taking my advice to heart."

Sora scoffed. "I'm just covering for your impulsiveness. It's hardly fair to drag her into this mess of mine, the least I could do is show her around."

"Sora's going on a date! He's all grown up now!" It was a leap of logic to go from "showing her around" to "going on a date."

"It's not a date," he corrected.

"Show her around, show her a good time. Sounds like a date to me."

It was clear that despite any protest to the contrary, Roxas would just continue to sing the words "date" like a little kid. It was time to cut the song short. "Stop bothering me and go to sleep already."

"Fine. Just make sure you have lots of fun tomorrow," he winked. "Good night!" Roxas left, humming to himself on the way out. Sora sighed, spinning in his chair slowly.

The next morning came and as promised, Sora took Xion out. The most obvious place to go on an island? The beach of course. They were eating lunch at the pier.

It was an amazing sight, the entire ocean could be seen from where they were—they practically sat over it. The restaurant hovered above the water, held together by strong planks of wood and giant log supports. Their table was under an umbrella that kept them shaded. It was an outdoor restaurant that overlooked the beach. With the noon sun high in the sky, crowds of people were in the sand, lazing, playing, and running around. In the water, they swam and splashed about, their sounds of glee providing cheerful background music. Tropical beats played from speakers mounted on wooden posts. It was an appropriately cool and breezy atmosphere.

"This place is really beautiful," Xion commentated, watching as the clear ocean waves rippled and folded in the glittering sunlight. In the distance, she saw small islands on the outskirts. At the restaurant were a bunch of people who had just come from the beach. She was feeling a little self-conscious seeing all these girls in skimpy bikinis, with figures that far outstripped her own, walk around without a care. Not only was the island beautiful, but the people here were beautiful too. She sighed, feeling dejected. She turned to her escort who looked almost…bored? "You don't have to show me around if you don't want to."

Sora snapped out of his daze. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"It's just—you don't look like you're having much fun."

He shook his head. "Sorry, I was just thinking." He grabbed his drink and sucked on the straw, it was a light-colored liquid with an umbrella and lemon wedge. "I was just…well, I don't know, I'm kind of out of it right now."

"You're telling me." She took a sip of her own glass.

He laughed. "You realize that Roxas has been trying to set us up from the start right?"

She almost spit out her drink. "Huh?"

"Roxas has this bad habit of trying to set me up with women, just thought you would like to know."

She took a gulp instead of a sip this time, trying to cover her red face with a natural alcoholic glow. She fiddled with the tablecloth absent-mindedly, not really sure how to react to this information. It didn't stack up. "Are you sure? He never told me about you."

"Really? He told me about you."

Another sip. "What did he say?"

"Nothing much, except that you're smart and a hard worker."

She didn't know if it was because of the drink or because her boss was complimenting her behind her back, but she was feeling pretty warm. She brought the glass to her lips again and got nothing but ice. "Waiter!"

A man in a colorful shirt approached, "What can I get you?"

"A refill please."

It was amusing to see this petite girl guzzle down drinks out of embarrassment but Sora was surprised to hear that Roxas didn't mention him to her. Usually it was part of his cousin's M.O. to talk up a storm and make him sound like the greatest guy in the world. Maybe the reason Xion was here had nothing to do with him at all? "What do you think of Roxas?"

She waited until the waiter finished refilling her glass before answering. "Roxas…he's a good leader. Everybody at the company really respects him."

"Are you serious?" She nodded in reply. "Huh. I wouldn't be able to tell, he's always bothering me, hanging around my place and everything, makes me wonder if he actually works at all."

Xion giggled. Things were coming a lot easier than before, no doubt thanks to the wonders of drink. Her mind flashed back to that photo of Sora. It stuck out in her brain like a sore thumb, especially since the man before her preferred neutral expressions more than anything else, but she remembered how that smile made her feel. It was stupid since it was just a photo but, she wondered if she could see that "lady-killer grin" in real life? "Sora, would you mind doing me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Smile for me."

He was thrown off guard. It was an odd request but he complied. He curved his mouth in an imitation of a smile.

It wasn't right. It was too half-hearted. Xion shook her head. "No, not like that, like," she put out a comical grin that was so exaggerated; he couldn't tell if she was being serious.

"I think someone's had a little too much." He looked for the waiter. "Check please!"

Even though he tried to make it clear to his cousin that this was not a date yesterday, he couldn't help but feel that it was—not that he intended it to be, it just so happened that most of the tourist locations on a tropical island ended up being really romantic places. He didn't think this through too well.

They were on a wooden plank bridge that was much lower than the restaurant pier. At the end of it were fishermen trying their luck to catch big game. They sat in the middle, over the edge, with their bare feet dangling in the water. A pair of shoes and sandals separated them. Xion seemed to be having a good time, despite his presence. Her pants were rolled up to her knees as she idly kicked the water back and forth.

"You're not going to fall over are you?" he joked.

"Of course not," she said. She probably had a little too much to drink, but that was an hour ago! She was fine now. She closed her eyes feeling the sun on her face. She wasn't able to see his "lady-killer grin," but that was fine. Sora was an interesting person. On the surface level, yeah, he was pretty handsome. It was like a requirement that people born on this island had to be attractive or beautiful, but there was something much deeper to him that she couldn't put her finger on.

With the way he was acting, the confrontation at the doorstep, and the photos, there was definitely something going on between him and the wedding girl. Whatever it was, it would probably explain why he was always acting so weird. She wasn't the type to be nosy or anything but she might as well give it a shot. "I know it's not really my place to ask but…is there something between you and Kairi?"

He gave her a surprised look. "Roxas was right, you _are_ sharp." She was put off; he didn't even answer the question! Sora tilted his head from side-to-side to iron out the kinks in his neck. "It's that obvious? Even a stranger can guess that there's something between us."

It was like stepping on eggshells. "You don't have to tell me anything, I was just curious is all."

He brushed it off, "No, it's fine. I might as well tell you. By next week, it won't even matter. You probably know by now that me, Kairi, and Riku were friends, just from the photos?" She nodded her head. "Between the three of us, they're the ones who are getting married and as for me…"

And as for you…?

"I'm in love with Kairi."

Xion's jaw dropped. And she looked like Kairi—so that explained it—but, wow, just wow. She remembered Riku coming out of the kitchen, gushing about how Sora was going to be the best man. She cringed at the irony.

"I'm sure you can piece together everything from there."

"I'm sorry." It was a weak reply, but she didn't know what else to say. "I can't imagine how you feel right now."

He was silent for a few moments, watching as a seagull above hover in circles until it dipped down to the pier and grabbed a stray bag of chips with its beak. He chuckled. "Have you ever been in love?"

She shook her head. "I've never really had a steady boyfriend or anything like that." Her love life was pretty much non-existent, save for a handful of (miserable) dates in high school and college. "I wouldn't know anything about it."

"From my experience, it feels like shit."

She giggled but stopped herself, kicking herself in the head for it. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"

Sora laughed. "I don't mind. I was just joking." He kind of wasn't, but she didn't have to know that.

"I wish I knew what love feels like, but I've never had anything more than a simple crush," she admitted.

"Like Roxas?"

She made a bland face, "Don't remind me." Her silly crush on her boss would never amount to anything, but meeting his girlfriend only compounded the fact. Naminé was a good person and really nice, she even promised to take her out shopping for a dress tomorrow; she could see why they were together. As far as Xion was concerned, Roxas was out of the picture now. It was fine though, she would become a career-woman. Job first! Everything else later! Let's not worry about inconsequential things like boyfriends and relationships, but enough of her (lack of) love life, she was making herself depressed. In an attempt to change the subject, she asked Sora, "How did you and Kairi meet?"

"It's a long story, you sure you want me to tell you?"

"You don't have to tell me, but, it would be nice to know. I mean, the only reason I'm here is because of you, isn't it?" She had sprung the trap, using his guilt against him.

He laughed in defeat. "Clever. If that's the case, I guess I don't have choice." She nodded in agreement. "Well, I guess it all started with the story of a young boy…"

A young boy who spent his days alone. He used to be happy, laughing and having fun, but that boy disappeared and in his place was now a sullen little child who had lost everything. Having suffered inexplicable loss, he was left scrambling to make sense of it all. He clammed up, kept to himself, and stayed isolated. He hated seeing the other kids giggle like fools. It wasn't fair. They didn't understand.

During recess, he would sit on the swing until the bell rang, to the chagrin of the other children. The teachers, knowing of his situation, let him have his time alone despite complaints from the students. Eventually, it became known as his swing. He would glare at any passerby and they learned to leave him alone, just the way he liked it.

That was until one day, a girl stole his swing.

The habit ingrained from repeated practice, the boy left the classroom and automatically went to his swing. Somebody was already in it. It was a girl, a little taller than him, with auburn red hair and night-ocean eyes. He recognized her from class. What was she doing?

"That's my swing," he declared.

She kicked the sand at his feet and stuck her tongue out. "Na-uh."

"Get off my swing," he ordered.

"I don't feel like it."

"That's my swing, you stupid!"

"You always hog this swing, didn't your parents ever tell you to share?"

He bristled. "Fine, you can keep your stupid swing. I was bored of it anyways." He stomped off to find a new spot at the playground to wallow in self-pity. When he found a suitable place, he sat down for his daily ritual of beating himself up, but he didn't get far when a finger poked him in the back.

"What's wrong with you?" a voice asked.

The boy turned around and narrowed his eyes. "Weren't you on the swing?"

The girl shrugged. "I got tired of it, so I let the other kids use it."

"Tch, whatever, leave me alone." He stomped off again, looked over his shoulder, and saw that she was following. "Stop following me!"

"No."

"Why?"

"No reason." What a weird girl. Definitely a weird girl.

"Whatever."

That was how the days followed. He'd try to find a nice and quiet place but she'd always be close behind. It didn't matter where he went or how fast he moved. He tried sneaking out of class early, he tried to sprint around corners to lose her, and even tried hiding but it never worked. Somehow or someway, she'd find him. To the other kids, it looked like they were just playing, but for Sora, it was an exercise in frustration. He gave up trying to lose her and decided to deal with it by ignoring her. She didn't let up. Sometimes, she'd make fun of him, and other times, she didn't say anything. It was irritating. He was finally fed up.

"Why don't you leave me alone already?"

"You're such a dummy. A really big dummy," she sang.

"Stop calling me that, I'm not a dummy, stupid!"

She giggled. "You're a dummy!"

He crossed his arms. "Why won't you leave me alone?"

She smiled. "You're not thinking about the bad stuff anymore?" He stopped. Was she trying…to help? "It's no fun being alone. It's better when there's someone with you."

He was so focused on this annoying girl that he stopped sulking. He felt something like gratitude but… "You're still annoying."

She giggled.

"You're name's Kairi," he stated plainly.

"And you're Sora,"—she grinned—"and we're friends!"

Friends? The word was foreign to him. Were they really friends? "But why?"

She thought about it, a finger on her lips. "I heard that you lost your daddy," she said. "I lost both my parents too."

His eyes widened. "You liar, who's that lady that picks you up then?"

"Those are my adopted parents. They're the mayor and his wife."

"O-oh. Don't you miss your parents?"

"I do. But it's okay, because I know they loved me and I have new parents that love me now." This girl was like him. No, even worse, since she lost both of her parents but—it still wasn't the same. "So you see, I know what its like."

"No! It's not the same!"

"Sora?" She took a few steps closer, confused by his sudden outburst.

"J-just leave me alone!" He ran.

She squeaked in surprise and started running after him.

He didn't know where he was going; he simply went where his feet took him. He opened his eyes and looked around. He was nowhere near the school. The sun had faded and the shadows disappeared. It was still in the afternoon. He looked up at the sky; it was heavy with dark clouds. Raindrops began to fall. He froze.

"Sora! Sora!" He could hear Kairi calling after him. "There you are! What are you doing? You're gonna get wet!" She tugged on his arm, but he didn't budge. He looked dead. "Sora, what's wrong?"

"…storm."

She could barely make out the words from underneath his breath. "What?"

"…thunderstorm." She looked up at the sky to see what he was talking about. A rumble coursed through the air; it sounded like freight trains crashing into each other. The little boy shrunk into himself. "NO!"

"Sora?" Drops turned into drizzle, and drizzle turned into sheets of water. They couldn't get back to school in this weather. She pulled him under a nearby awning. There was a bench. "Let's just stay here."

Another rumble resounded and the world flashed. He clenched her dress. "Don't leave me."

She was worried. That was the first time he said not to leave him alone. They sat there as the rain fell, the sky cracking every once in a while. They didn't know how long it was. The boy simply clamped onto the girl with his eyes closed.

The rain was hard. It was like the clouds were carrying an ocean and it finally broke, pouring everything down on them. As suddenly as the storm came, it passed, and the sky clear again.

"Hey, it's over now. See?" Sora opened an eye, peeking upwards. The once thick clouds had dispersed, stray wisps floating away. The sun shined nonchalantly, as if it was there all along.

He felt tired. "You probably think I'm stupid. Being afraid of thunder…"

"I don't think so…"

They sat in silence. They should return to school soon. She went out from underneath the awning and turned around. He hadn't moved.

"It was my fault," he whispered.

"What was?"

"It was my fault that dad died." His voice was shaky.

She remembered hearing from the teachers that his father died in a car accident. Everybody in class knew about it. "What do you mean?"

"Mommy was sick so she couldn't pick me up. There was a storm. So I called my dad. He said he would pick me up in no time but… He never came."

He was blaming himself this entire time. She softened. "It's not your fault."

"If it wasn't for me, then he never would've died!"

"That's not true," she said, stronger this time. "Your dad came because he loved you. It's not your fault he died Sora." She could hear him sniffling. "Hey, look at me! It's not your fault! Don't be sad, okay? You're making me sad!"

He wiped a few stray tears. "…I miss him."

"You still have your mommy, don't you?" The boy nodded. "Then let's go see her!"

"What about school?"

"This is more important!" She offered her hand. He stared at it and looked at her face, seeing her determined expression. He grabbed the hand. "Just lead the way!" Hand-in-hand, the pair tentatively made their way towards his house. Ever since he lost his father, he made it a point to walk home on his own. They finally arrived. Kairi rapped the door with her tiny knuckles. It opened.

"Sora!" Ms. Hikari crouched down, her face level with his. "Are you okay? What are you doing here so early? And who's your friend?"

"Hi," the auburn girl awkwardly greeted, "um, Sora has something to tell you." The boy looked at the girl with confusion. "_Just tell her what you told me_," she mouthed.

"You have something to say, Sora?" The death of her husband had taken a toll on the mother. She was haggard, with dark circles under her eyes and mussed hair.

"It was my fault," he confessed. "It's my fault that dad died!"

Ms. Hikari's eyes widened. She enveloped him in a hug. "No, it's not your fault Sora! It's mine, if I wasn't sick to begin with—"

"It's nobody's faults!" the little girl screamed.

The mother and son both stared at her in shock. Ms. Hikari turned to her son, whose face was wracked with guilt and worry, and stroked his hair. She wasn't the only one suffering; he blamed himself too. But what use was there in assigning blame? They still had each other. She laughed lightly, holding her son tighter. "I suppose you're right…you're…?"

"Oh! Kairi Uchida!" she chirped.

Ms. Hikari offered a grateful smile. "Kairi, huh? Thank you for bringing my son home. Why don't you come in? I'll take you home later."

It was an exhausting day, and Sora was put to bed early. Ms. Hikari invited Kairi into the kitchen and laid out a plate of cookies for the girl, who happily munched on them.

"Ever since the accident, Sora's been afraid of thunderstorms. It always brings up…bad memories," Ms. Hikari explained.

"I understand."

"Oh, now that I think about it, you're the mayor's daughter, aren't you?"

"Yup!"

"Thank you for your kind words back there."

"It's no problem Mrs. Hikari!"

The mother smiled. The girl was like an angel—a messenger from heaven perhaps? She had come and forced the realization that life, inevitably, continues. She had lost her parents but learned to move on. They should follow her lead and do the same. Ms. Hikari hadn't been the best mother since the accident, the loss weighed heavily on her mind, but this girl, Kairi, could help Sora and be there for him when she couldn't. "I have a favor to ask of you. Do you think you can do it for me?"

"What is it?"

"Take good care of Sora for me, okay?"

Kairi grinned widely. "I promise!"

Sora stopped.

Xion was visibly hanging on to his every word.

"So what happened next?" she asked curiously.

"Do you want to go get some ice cream?"

"Hah?"

He picked up his sandals and stood up. "Come on, I'll show you a good place." He started walking away.

"W-wait up!"


	6. Cold Reflections

**Chapter 6**

He wondered how she would like it.

He watched as a silver spoon hovered above a landscape paved with vanilla cream, littered with fruit slices, sprinkled with nuts, and dripping with syrup. The serene scene was then shattered when the spoon shoved itself in and scooped up a healthy heap of ice cream.

"So…what do you think?" Sora asked, watching as Xion put the spoon in her mouth, testing the creamy confection on her tongue.

Her eyes widened. "Delicious!"

Sora nodded, not at all surprised by her reaction.

They were at Cait Sith's, an ice cream parlor that served only the best ice cream on the island—or the world for that matter. Tourists never did get the name right, and Xion was no exception.

"Kate Siths?" she said out loud, reading off the sign.

"No, more like Ket-Shee," he corrected.

"Ket-shee?"

"It's Scottish, I think." The name referred to its proprietor, a caped cat that rode a giant moogle that loved to scream into his giant megaphone. He wasn't a real cat of course—he was a robot—but that didn't diminish his awesomeness any. If nobody ever told you he was a machine, you would be none the wiser.

The look on Xion's face when she first saw the mascot was priceless. At first she thought it was just a statue, but the moment he started moving, her eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas day.

"Is he real?" the girl excitedly asked, rubbing the cat between its ears.

Sora didn't want to break the illusion, but he didn't want to come off as a liar either. "He's a machine, if that's what you're asking…"

"But that doesn't mean I'm not real!" the cat yelled, having heard them.

She jumped slightly in surprise. "I-I don't mean that at all…" she apologized, suddenly embarrassed.

"Nah, that's okay!" the cat excused. Cait Sith hit the moogle on the head, prompting it to move him closer to the girl until they were face to face. "Whoa, you're a real cutie! What's your name?"

"W-who, me?" she stuttered in total bewilderment.

"Yeah of course! Who else?"

"Her name's Xion," Sora finally revealed, butting into the conversation. The cat's eyes darted to Sora and widened. The thing about machines was that they had perfect memory.

"Sora Sora! Is that really you? My eyes aren't foolin' me?" Cait Sith yelled out as he recognized the brunet. "Long time no see!" The cat leapt from his moogle perch and landed on Sora's head. "Aw, what happened to your hair?"

Xion laughed as the scene unfolded.

"Nice to see you too," the brunet deadpanned. His hair was a lot shorter than it used to be, no longer the mess that made it so fun to jump in when he was younger.

"Man Sora, what are you doing here, especially with a girl like her? Hey, how bout you ditch this guy and go out with me?" the cat proposed.

She was at a complete loss. "Er…"

Sora had a tough time trying to get the cat off his head, a cat who was completely ignoring his duties as a purveyor of ice cream and apparently trying his hardest to woo Xion. The scene might've been odd in any other place not called "Cait Sith's Victory Ice Cream Shop!" but this was on par for course in Cait Sith's domain.

After Sora convinced the cat that Xion wanted ice cream more than anything else, they settled themselves comfortably in a corner booth, sitting on top of plushy red cushions and next to giant glass pane windows. Sora suggested that they both take a Slot Sundae which, from the look on Xion's satisfied face, was the right call.

"This might be the best ice cream I've ever tasted," she said, smiling.

"Even better than Twilight Town's Sea-Salt Ice Cream?"

"Oh! Sea-Salt, I haven't had that in such a long time. I was wondering what this sundae reminded me of." She gave herself another taste. "Does this place have Sea-Salt?"

"Nope!" the cat blared from behind the counter. The two turned their attention towards the feline proprietor. "And there's a good reason for that!"

"And what's that?" Xion asked.

"Cats don't like water!"

Xion went in a fit of giggles. "I see!"

Xion was smiling a lot more now. Guess all it took was a giant moogle and a talking cat to get it out of her. "Glad to see you're having so much fun," Sora commented.

She nodded her head. "There aren't many places like this back in Twilight Town."

"Yeah, I know. Me, Kairi, and Riku used to come here all the time." The statement lingered in the air but drew a rather intense look of curiosity from Xion. "What?"

"You said 'me, Kairi, and Riku," she repeated softly.

Did he not establish that they were friends earlier? "Yeah, I did."

"If you don't mind me asking," she said uncertainly, "how did you meet Riku?"

He stared at her for a few seconds. "My, aren't we nosy today?"

Her face got hot. "It's just—I mean—you cut the story off so abruptly," she stammered out flustered.

"Hey hey, I'm just joking!"

She blew on her bangs, embarrassed. "Now you're just making fun of me."

He laughed. "My life can't be _that_ interesting," he remarked. "You can't _really_ be curious; you're just being nice aren't you?"

"That's not true at all!" she yelped. She caught herself, looked around to see if she drew any attention, and said in a low whisper, "It's just…you're really good at telling stories."

Good at telling stories huh? He should hope so, considering his occupation. He spooned some of his own sundae and put it in his mouth. The taste was sweet and very…nostalgic. "Me and Kairi were together for all of elementary school but it wasn't until middle school that we met Riku."

Xion could sense it. He was going to go into story mode. It was as if all the lights, natural or not, dimmed around them, and all the background noise faded into silence. She didn't know if he realized it or not, but he easily commanded a presence, not unlike Roxas in the board room. He just demanded attention, and she felt compelled to just shut up and listen. The Hikari blood was pretty potent stuff.

Sora looked out the window, watching as tourists, residents, and children walked the streets with smiles on their faces. Then he noticed his own reflection, a grim and exhausted face, staring back. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Why was he here again? Why did he come back to Destiny Islands and what did he hope to accomplish? He opened his eyes and was met with Xion's expectant gaze.

"Kairi…" he began softly, "…became my first and best friend. From that point on, we were inseparable. She took the lead in everything. We went on all sorts of crazy adventures. It was a blast. We had so much fun together.

"She looked after me and kept me out of trouble. She had her own style. Remember that scene at the door step? That's vintage Kairi. She was always a little rough. Her favorite thing to do was kick me in the legs whenever we sat down together. It was like pain was her favorite message to send.

"We were close until middle school. That was when we finally met Riku. He was one of those brooding types. He reminded me a lot of myself. When I first saw him, I thought he was a bad apple, but Kairi wanted to be friends with him. I swear—that girl has an affinity for stray dogs. As it turned out, he lost his parents too. He never knew them though; he was raised in an orphanage. He had a tough life and it took some time before she finally cracked him open.

"At the time, I was pretty annoyed. You couldn't blame me since I was a kid, but I thought to myself, 'why did she have to go out of her way just for his sake?' It was a selfish thought, but it was that kindness that attracted me to her, and at the same time, it was that kindness that pushed us apart.

"But Riku and I had a lot in common. It wasn't long before we had become good friends. In a way, we were both saved by her. I think…he probably fell in love with her for the same reasons I did. Until we came along, he was all alone. We became his new family; a brother and a sister. We were the perfect trio.

"Then high school happened.

"As far as friends went, they were always enough for me, but I guess they didn't feel the same. People change. I thought our close knit group would stay together forever you know? But Kairi needed girlfriends, another girl to talk to about girl stuff. Riku got into sports and naturally became a target of the female population.

"As for me? I was left scrambling to fend for myself. The worst part was these new feelings I started having. Maybe it was because of the hormones, I don't know, but my heart would race every time I saw her. I was left wanting something more than just friendship. I told myself it was just a phase. An infatuation, a simple crush, and that I'd get over it soon enough, except that it never happened. Things weren't the same anymore. Everything had changed. I thought I was feeling just a little lonely because she had her own friends now.

"But this was when I realized—I was in love with her."

Xion had been listening intently, but something about that last statement was strange. To her, the concept of love was bizarre. She never had the luxury of experiencing the feeling and she just wanted to get a better understanding of it. "How can you be so sure? When do you—how do you know its love?" she asked.

He took some time to think about it. It was a good question, when did he exactly realize it? "There's no single moment that you go, 'I'm in love!' It's more of a collection of moments."

Whenever she smiled, all he wanted was to see was that smile forever.

Whenever she dragged him to who-knows-where, he could only focus on the faint electric tingle of her touch.

Whenever she hugged him, he never wanted to let go.

"Then you wake up one day and realize that all you've been thinking about lately is her and her alone."

Xion finished the last of her sundae. "Love must be an interesting feeling."

"Love is also like that," he replied, sinking his spoon into his ice cream. "It's not a single feeling, but a collection of feelings. You would think it would just be 'happiness,' but there are a lot of other things that go along with it."

"Other things?"

He nodded. "Like worry, anger, jealousy, disappointment, fear…"

"Fear…?"

"Fear that you may never feel this way again," he said, smiling. It was a bit unnerving.

"From the way you talk about it, I'm not sure I want to fall in love."

He chuckled. "Love isn't something you do, its something that just happens whether you want it to or not."

"You sure know how to sweet talk a girl don't you?"

"I apologize if I destroyed your conceptions of love."

"It's okay," she said good-naturedly. "I suppose when the time comes, I won't set my expectations too high."

Sora gave a soft chuckle. "For all the bad things that come with it, those few moments that you _do_ share with the person you love makes it all worth it. Kairi understood me in a way that nobody else ever could."

"Not even your mom?"

"_Especially_ my mom."

They busted out laughing together. It was nice to let go once in a while. Maybe it was the ice cream, maybe it was Cait Sith behind the counter giving him the evil eye, or maybe it was just Xion's company, but something about the whole situation made him a feel a lot better. Still, as much as he enjoyed the moment, the reality always came crashing back. After their laughter settled down, Sora put on an uncharacteristically serious look. "Kairi knows me better than any other person. I think—no—I'm sure she knows by now…how I really feel about her."

"What makes you say that?" she asked, disheartened by the change of mood.

"Because I know her just as well. Funnily enough, I think she just as afraid as I am to actually hear those words out loud. Maybe she thinks I might screw up the wedding or something."

Xion had a suspicion that he might, but she thought it would be wise to keep that to herself. "What will you do?" she asked instead.

"I don't know. It all depends on what happens tomorrow, when she takes me out for a fitting. She'll probably force me into a situation where I have no choice but to tell her the truth. After that, your guess is as good as mine." He looked at his sundae, which was half liquid by now, after having spent so much time telling his story. Most people would discard it, but Sora felt an obligation to finish it—he paid for it after all. "Since you pretty much know my whole life story, what about you Xion? Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

She gave a surprised face as if he asked her a deeply personal question. "A-about me? There's nothing really special about me. Compared to your life, mine is really boring. This whole trip has probably been the most exciting thing that I've done since forever."

He was disappointed with the answer but a flimsy response like that wasn't going to stop him. "Fair is only fair right? I bet you're just covering it up. You've probably left a whole line of broken hearts in your wake," he joked.

She shook her head emphatically. "No no, you got it wrong. Really, there's nothing special about me."

It looked like he wasn't going to get anywhere. Oh well, that was fine. All in due time he supposed. "That's not true," he stated, getting her attention. "I don't think there's such a thing as a boring life. Our struggles, no matter how small, will always be our own. That alone makes our lives important and worth living. Life's not a competition. The problems we have are unique to us. You can't compare life stories and say one is better than the other."

She was a little meek at the moment. She felt like a student who gave the wrong answer in class, and Sora was the teacher who admonished her for it. She never had anything to really complain about in life, and yet here was Sora, telling her that it didn't matter. Having gone through as much as he did, how could he even say such things? What kind of will was required to hold on to that kind of optimism? "You're a strong person," she whispered.

"Thanks…even if it's not true."

For some reason, the answer was really funny. She belted out in laughter. They must be the strangest pair, constantly praising each other, but never missing a chance to self-deprecate. They were two self-defeated peas in a pod. "Do you ever listen to what you say? You _are_ strong Sora. Don't let anybody, least of all, yourself, tell you otherwise."

He was honestly floored by her statement. She said it with such conviction; he didn't know how to reply. "Thanks…for real this time."

She gave him a smile.

"You know," he started, "coming here has made me realize one thing, if I am to ever move on, I have to confront Kairi, for better or worse."

She nodded. "Even though we know each other for just two days, I'll be cheering you on!" she exclaimed with her fists clenched.

"I'll be cheering for you too!" Cait Sith yelled on his megaphone.

Sora looked out of the booth and realized the whole shop was looking at him. He rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed.

After finishing their sundaes, they left the shop.

"So where are we going?" Xion asked. Sora never really told her where they were going before heading off in seemingly random directions. He usually left on short notice too, forcing her to catch up or be left behind.

Sora tilted his head upwards, seeing the sky catch a tinge of orange. It was late in the afternoon and the sun was coming down. "How about a little hike?"

Although the words "hike" scared her, Sora wasn't lying when he said "little." It wasn't hard walking up a dirt path that led into the hills. The incline was gradual, so it was with great surprise when she finally looked over her shoulder and saw that they were easily hundreds of feet above sea level, overlooking the entire island.

"Wow, what an amazing scene!" she gasped.

Sora settled himself on the grass and patted the ground next to him. She came over and sat down. A day before, he was hesitant to sit next to her on the couch, but a lot had happened since then, and it didn't feel as weird to be sitting next to her. She sat down and crossed her legs, enjoying the scenery.

"Back in Twilight Town, I live in a small dingy apartment."

"Huh?" She turned her head towards the brunet and saw that he was looking over the island.

"Roxas always got on my case about it. He kept telling me to move out. I suppose when you own your own company, your view on living spaces gets a little distorted."

It was weird to think that Roxas owned his own company. When Xion met him for the first time, she had mistaken him for one of the delivery boys. To say she was a little embarrassed would be an understatement.

Suddenly, she realized that she had no idea what Sora did for a living. "What do you do for a living?" she asked.

"You mean Roxas never told you?" The one thing that Roxas did, without exception, when introducing him to women, was hype up the fact that he was the author of _The_ _Keyblade Chronicles. _Either Roxas was slipping or Xion really was a spur-of-the-moment travel companion.

She shook her head. "He never said anything about you, remember?"

"I don't really do anything. I just help Roxas out from time to time," he lied—kind of, he really did help Roxas, but that usually had more to do with Naminé than the actual company.

"Oh I see." It made sense. Not like she knew she was sitting next to the best-selling author of a book she happened to be an incredibly big fan of.

"Anyways," he said, going back to his initial subject, "the reason I stay in that dingy apartment is because of the view. My place is across the river from downtown. If you go on the roof, you have a perfect view, just like this."

"It _is_ a breath-taking view," she observed.

"Yeah it is. If you hadn't noticed, I have a thing for high places."

They sat there for a while, feeling the cool breeze against their faces, watching as the sun made its slow descent towards the horizon. She didn't know what to expect when he invited her out the other day, but watching this amazing sunset before her very eyes, she was glad she came. But there was still one giant piece of the puzzle that was still missing. "How did…Riku and Kairi get together?"

She was afraid to ask the question for fear of appearing too intrusive, but he didn't look surprised. "I was wondering when you would ask. That is indeed the million dollar question."

A few moments went by. Um, are you going to answer that Sora?

"The reason they got together…remains to this day, the greatest regret of my life."

Fifteen-year old Sora stood prepared. He gathered up his nerve, took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and asked the greatest question of his life.

"Kairi, will you go to prom with me?"

There was no response.

"No, that's not right," he muttered to himself. He shook his head and repeated the question to the mirror.

Sora was in his bathroom, in front of the medicine cabinet, practicing his proposal to Kairi. After two years of confusion, mixed feelings, and soul-searching, he finally admitted to himself that he was, by all accounts, in love with his best friend. Upon this realization, he knew that he needed to tell her before he would regret it for the rest of his life. But if it took two years for him to realize that he loved Kairi, how long would it take for him to actually tell her that?

The answer presented itself through a school event known as prom. It was his chance to finally tell her his true feelings. It wouldn't be right to confess to her out of the blue on a normal day. It had to be on a special occasion, and what better occasion was there than prom? Unfortunately, the biggest problem was getting her there in the first place.

If he asked her straight up, it would be the same as confessing. He couldn't make it sound too serious; it had to come off as a friendly suggestion. This was why practice was so crucial; he had to make it sound casual. Only after they reached the dance hall, only after they got drunk off of fruit punch, only after she's had a good time could he finally drop the bomb. It was the perfect plan—if only he could get past the first stage.

"Hey Kairi, you think you might wanna…go to prom together?"

No, way too weak and tentative.

"Hey, prom's coming up right? Why don't we go together?"

That might be _too_ casual.

His forehead collided with the mirror. This wasn't getting anywhere. He had already practiced for hours but time was short. He was just lucky that Kairi had declined every invitation from any other guy thus far. He hoped it would stay that way, at least until he worked up the courage to ask her out himself.

It was a day like any other at Destiny High, the sun was shining, the weather was great, and the kids were sitting in class, bored out of their minds, eagerly awaiting the tell-tale chime of the school bell. When it finally rang, a collective sigh of relief was let out, and everybody sprinted for the exits—including the teachers.

Not Sora though. He remained fixed in his seat, quietly chanting a refrain to himself, the classic Nike catch phrase, "Just do it…just do it…just do it…"

"SORA!" a voice yelled. He jumped out of his seat and opened his eyes, seeing Kairi's smirking face. She laughed at his reaction. "Dummy, what the heck are you doing? School's over!"

He sat there, seeing this bubbly girl, this girl that he loved, stand there in front of him. This was his chance! JUST DO IT.

"I was just—meditating," he excused lamely. Way to go Sora.

She giggled; she didn't believe it for a second. "C'mon, let's get of here."

"Yeah yeah, I know." He scanned the room and noticed that they were the only ones in there. He picked up his bag and followed her out of the room. As soon as they left the door, they were stopped.

"Oh, hey Axel, how's it going!" she greeted. Axel, a garish rogue with a devil may care attitude, was apparently waiting outside the door for them. Something about the way his emerald eyes gleamed at Kairi was highly suspect to the brunet.

"Hey babe, you mind if I could talk to you about something?"

He wasn't going to…no, he couldn't be, there was no way—he was going out with Larxene wasn't he?

"Uh, sure, what's up?" she replied obliviously.

"It's kind of personal," he answered, staring at Sora. "You mind?"

Yes he minded. He minded very much. "Not at all." He walked away a short distance and mentally cussed himself out. Way to go Sora, way to freakin' go. He leaned against the lockers and watched as the two chatted together. She seemed to enjoy the conversation and giggled a few times. If Axel asked her out and she actually said yes, Sora was going to punch himself in the face. Seriously.

The spiked redhead rubbed the back of his neck as Kairi walked away towards Sora. She motioned for him to follow her.

"So, what was that about?" he asked, trying to sound as disinterested as possible.

"He asked me out." He almost tripped over his feet. "But I said no."

YES. He was quietly doing cartwheels in his head. "Really? Why not?"

"We're friends but…I don't know him too well. It feels out of the blue to be honest. Actually, a lot of people have been asking me to prom, but some of them are guys I've never even seen before!"

"If you're popular and you don't know it, clap your hands," he sang.

"Oh shut up. What about you? Aren't you going to ask anyone out?"

Chance! She was practically handing him the opportunity on a silver platter. "Um, here's an idea. How about you go to prom with me?"

She stopped. "Huh?"

Not good! Say something, quick! "I mean—this way—you won't be asked out anymore right? And I kind of want to go to prom, but not by myself, so we won't be going like, together _together_, but just as friends and—"

"Yes."

"—there shouldn't be any—what?"

She grinned. "Yes," she repeated. "We _should_ go together; it'll be a lot of fun! That's a great idea!"

She said yes, she said yes, SHE SAID YES. Now he was doing back flips and somersaults in his head. He did it perfectly, just the way he envisioned it—sort of.

"That's…great," he said, still in disbelief. "That's really great!"

Word had spread around school quickly. The one gutless fool that was always hanging around Kairi, the one that every boy had deemed as no threat, had unexpectedly captured _the _Kairi. What manner of deception and trickery did he foist upon the fair maiden, for there was no other explanation! The first guy who tried asking Kairi out after hearing the news, for the news was so preposterous to begin with, was met with confirmation of the rumor and a declination. This guy, who couldn't believe that he was just rejected in favor of Sora, had some choice words for the brunet, which didn't sit too well with Kairi. He was trying to convince her to "ditch that loser," but for all his lip service, he got only a black eye in return, courtesy of Kairi's fist. With the record set straight, she never had to worry about being asked to prom again.

Used to being ignored all his life, all this newfound attention unsettled Sora greatly. He would walk through the halls with accusing stares fixed upon him. He was beginning to think that he shouldn't have asked her out. Like all school rumors though, it sank into the background in favor of more up-to-date and juicier gossip. His surge in popularity was short-lived, something he was grateful for. Just another day before prom and just another hot girl taken out of the playing field. All the desperate boys now looked for the next most popular girl on the list—whoever that was.

It had been a couple days since he asked her out and Sora was at his mother's shop, helping to deliver flowers to customers. Around prom, demand for flowers was stupidly high.

"What are you so happy about?" his mom asked, still ignorant of Sora's exploits.

"Who says I'm happy?" he replied, carrying a large pot of flowers around.

She gave a soft smile. "Give me a little more credit than that Sora; I think I know when my son has an extra bounce in his step."

"It's nothing really. I'm just kind of excited to go to prom with Kairi."

"Really now?" she gasped. "Did you ask her out?"

"It's nothing like that," he downplayed, "we're just going as friends."

"Hmmm," she hummed. "Whatever helps you sleep at night Sora." She gave him a mischievous grin that let him know that she wasn't buying that for a second. "Anyways, do you want to deliver this?"

Sora looked up to see a bouquet of flowers held in front of him. "Who's it for?"

"Your friend Riku."

"Another fangirl?"

"So it seems. That boy sure is popular. He's also very good for my business, unlike some boys I know."

"What are you looking at me for?"

"No reason." His mom was always relentless. Trapped between his mother and Kairi, it was no small wonder that his self-esteem hadn't eroded away into oblivion from all their teasing already.

He took the bouquet and walked outside, setting the flowers in a metal tray appended to the back of a scooter. He put on his helmet with some difficulty (it was the hair), and strapped himself in. He turned the ignition and set off for Riku's place.

Riku lived in a small apartment by himself. After he left the orphanage, he decided to live on his own. He even got himself emancipated to become independent, but that didn't mean he would turn down generous offers for food. Flowers were another story though.

"Oh no, no no no, no more flowers!" the white-haired boy protested.

"Sorry, just doing my job." Sora set down the bouquet by the front door, since the inside was just as packed as his mom's shop. "Aren't you Mr. Popular?"

"You can never understand my curse, the curse of being popular. Why don't you come on in?" he invited.

Sora rolled his eyes but walked in anyways. "Funny you should mention that, I recently experienced a bout of popularity myself, although, it's probably for all the wrong reasons."

Riku closed the door and walked into the kitchen. "Ah yes, you asked Kairi out didn't you? Congratulations."

"It's nothing like that," he corrected…at least not yet anyways. "I wanted to talk to you about it, but you didn't show for school for the whole week, what's up? Going into hiding until prom?"

"Hahaha, believe what you want, but independent living is hard stuff. You got your scooter out there with you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Mind if I do a little bit of shopping?"

"It only seats one."

"I wasn't asking you for a ride."

Sora sighed and tossed his helmet and keys over. "I knew you didn't invite me in because you were being nice."

Riku laughed. "Throw away those flowers for me while I'm gone yeah?" He got a dirty look in response. "I'm just joking! Well, half-way joking. My place is a mess, as you can see. Anyways, I'll be back soon, I promise!" He waved off and closed the door.

Sora took a moment to observe the apartment. He wondered how Riku did it. He was sixteen, which meant he could work odd jobs, but it had to be extremely difficult to balance school with work. He got up from the couch and approached a pile of flowers thrown haphazardly into the corner. If his mother saw this mess, she would probably have a heart attack. "Flowers are nature's expressions of love and everything in between," she would always say. He opened some of the cards that were attached.

"Riku, will you go to prom with me?"

It was a sweet handwritten message. It was sad to see her effort go to waste however. He rifled through the other cards, coming across variations of the same question.

"Riku, let's go to prom together!"

"Will you take me to prom Riku?"

"Riku, you so sexy. I just want to eat you up you sexy beast."

Sora balked at the last card—it wasn't from a girl.

"Curse of popularity indeed," he laughed to himself.

Ten minutes had passed until he finally heard the motor of his scooter outside. He waited patiently until Riku opened the door and entered, with a helmet in one hand and groceries in the other.

"Done with your shopping at my expense?"

"Hey, let me make it up to you, have a nice pretzel." He pulled out a giant pretzel, the kind made of softly kneaded bread and sprinkled with magic cinnamon dust, and offered it to the brunet.

"You got my favorite! I always knew you were a pal!" Sora took it and consumed it voraciously. "You got any drinks? Salty pretzels always make me thirsty."

Riku nodded and went to the fridge. "Yeah, let me pour you some soda."

"Thanks!"

After he finished up his food, Sora left the apartment in good spirits. He got back on the scooter and drove towards his mother's shop.

And then he crashed.

…

"Wait," Xion interrupted, "what do you mean you crashed?"

"What does it matter? I just crashed."

"People don't crash for no reason."

Sora sighed. "It's a little embarrassing and kind of stupid…"

"That just makes me more curious..."

"I don't remember it too well but…as I was riding the scooter, something about it felt off, like a flat tire or something. I kept looking down to see what was wrong instead of doing the sensible thing like stopping and checking it out, but I was also in a rush since I spent way too much time at Riku's, and my mom was basically wondering where I disappeared off to..."

"So let me get this straight, you were just being careless?"

"Pretty much."

"You're right, that _is_ a stupid reason."

"I told you so. Happy you got it out of me?"

"It's a pretty strange reason though."

"Perhaps the Hikari blood has a bit of an accidental streak."

She gave him a bland face, like she was disappointed in the joke. "Sora…" she said softly. Why was she getting offended on _his_ behalf? Okay, so it was probably in bad taste, but she didn't have to look so serious about it.

The sun had finally set.

"You want to go get dinner?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"It's getting late and I'm pretty hungry." He stood up, dusted off his pants, and started walking away.

"W-wait up!" She unfolded her legs and winced as needles crawled underneath her skin. "Oww!" She looked up and saw that he wasn't waiting for her. She quickly scrambled after him. "I _hate_ it when he does this!"


	7. Uncertainty

**Chapter 7**

It was called "Balamb Garden."

The place looked nice, far nicer than her company warranted she thought. "Are you sure this is the place? It looks really expensive, and it's not like we're dressed for the occasion." She looked down at her simple outfit, a white collar shirt and slacks. It was what she normally wore to work. Sora was worst off though, since he wore a regular shirt, shorts, and sandals.

The building's exterior presented a pleasant façade, made out of garish materials that seemed to glow in the evening light. Heavy concrete, colorful gardens, and expensive lights surrounded the building. Large glass windows allowed visitors to peer in and see high ceilings with hanging chandelier lights, smooth polished floors that looked slick enough to slide on, and well-dressed servers that looked more like butlers than waiters.

Sora gave Xion a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. Actually, I've always wanted to eat here but I could never find the proper excuse."

From the way it looked, who _didn't_ want to eat here? The biggest obstacle was probably how much it cost just to get in. "Proper excuse?"

He nodded. "Take a look inside, what do you see?"

She peered through the pane glass, which revealed the fancy interior, and saw nothing but…couples. Oh…"OH! So I'm just an excuse now?"

"Are you complaining? We could go to a different place if you want."

She had no idea if he was being serious or not, and also wondered if he could even afford to pay for himself, much less the two of them, but she wasn't able to think about it for too long before he walked in anyways. "Hey!" She followed after him and entered the restaurant. He was stopped at a podium before the Maître d', a well-dressed man with a small mustache and rigid posture.

"Name?" the Maître d' asked in a snooty accent. Xion had to suppress a snort. This guy couldn't be real.

"Could I see the manager?"

The Maître d' looked up in surprise. He scanned Sora's outfit with obvious distaste. "I should be sufficient enough to handle your issues Monsieur…"

"Hikari."

As soon as he answered, the Maître d' immediately went through the reservation list and discovered no "Hikari" on it. "Sorry monsieur, but your name is not on the reservation list."

Xion tapped on his shoulder. "Sora, let's just go, we don't even have a reservation."

He wasn't about to give up though. "That's why I asked for the manager. Look, I know her, she can vouch for me."

The Maître d' gave off a haughty laugh. "Ah, as if I've never heard that one before. I'm sorry monsieur, but I do believe that you will not be dining here tonight." Even if she didn't like his attitude, Xion agreed.

"Is there a problem out here?" a dainty voice called.

The Maître d''s eyes went as wide as saucers. "Madame! No no, there is no problem here, just some people who think they can lie their way into our restaurant, but no! I will not stand for it." He stomped his right foot for emphasis.

A brunette woman, wearing an elegant dress that flowed from her neck, emerged to see the guests. As soon as her eyes fell on Sora, she immediately brightened.

"Ohmigosh! Is that you Sora? That really IS you isn't it?" She leapt at him, putting him in a tight hug that shocked both Xion and the Maître d'.

"Long time no see Selphie," the writer greeted back, a bit uncomfortably.

"A really long time, where the heck have you been all this time!" she admonished, slapping him on the arm.

He winced and rubbed the spot. "Seriously, what is it with women and hitting me?"

Selphie just giggled. "I didn't believe it when Kairi told me, but you're actually here!" She suddenly noticed the dark haired woman behind him. "And who's this? Is she your girlfriend?"

They both answered at the same time, "No."

"We're just—"

"—friends."

Selphie blinked. "You guys are _so_ cuute!" she gushed, completely ignoring what they just said, and electing to focus on _how_ they said it. She approached Xion and stuck her hand out. "My name is Selphie Tilmitt."

Xion looked at the proffered hand, and followed her arm up to see excited green eyes and a Cheshire cat grin. Her brunette hair curled on the sides of her face, giving her a youthful and almost childish appearance despite her age. "I'm Xion," she introduced, shaking the other woman's hand.

"Nice to meet you Xion!" Selphie turned to the Maître d' and grinned, "Would you be a dear and get these two a table?"

He wanted to protest, but thought better of it and acquiesced, "Y-yes, Madame."

"Great!" She returned her attention to the couple and gazed at them for a quite a long time, unnerving the both of them.

"Um, Selphie?" Sora said.

Selphie shook her head furiously and crossed her arms. "Sora, don't you know the rules for my restaurant?"

"Uh…" He did, but he didn't think she actually meant it at the time. It just seemed like the musings of a love-obsessed high school girl who didn't know any better, and because applying that rule in real-life would make no business sense. "No?"

She gave a dangerous giggle. "You know the rules Sora, only couples allowed!"

He face-faulted. "She actually did it…"

"Only couples allowed? Did you know this Sora?" Xion asked a bit confused.

He waved his hand apologetically, "No, no, I mean, some restaurants are really meant for couples, but its more of a suggestion than an actual rule but…"

"In Balamb Garden, we only serve people in love!" the brunette squealed.

"I can't believe you actually went through with it. Actually, I'm more surprised that your restaurant is still around with a stupid rule like that in place."

"Humph!" Selphie snorted, putting her nose up at him. "You just wouldn't understand Sora. That _stupid rule_ is the reason why my restaurant is so popular! Once you take your date here, you're guaranteed to fall in love!"

"Guaranteed to go broke you mean?"

"I thought they were already supposed to be in love with each other," Xion observed.

"It's the intention that counts," she explained. "You have to come in with the expectation of falling in love."

"Selphie, can we just get a table already?" Sora interrupted, before she could get into her long rants about love.

She was disappointed but obliged anyways. "Only because it's you Sora. I'll let you in this time. But if anybody asks, you two are a couple for tonight! I have a reputation to maintain you know." Selphie was being…Selphie.

"I get it, if anybody asks, we're a couple."

For some reason, hearing Sora say that made Xion's heart speed up.

The Maître d' finally returned, "Monsieur Hikari, your table is ready."

"Perfect timing! Xion, can I borrow you for a moment?" Selphie asked.

Xion looked to Sora for advice but he simply shrugged his shoulders. "Uh…sure."

"Great! Please lead Sora to his table," she ordered. "Follow me."

Xion complied, following the manager through the restaurant. The interior was fantastical and luxurious. It really was an amazing place, and like its namesake, there were flowers everywhere. The interior lighting was low, keeping the atmosphere intimate. They finally stopped at a bar. "Wow, there's even a bar here," she let out.

Selphie took a seat on the counter and motioned for Xion to do the same. It was a smooth surface with a reflective sheen, showing off high quality woodwork and craftsmanship. Behind the counter was a gentleman cleaning out glasses with a white cloth. Behind him were shelves lined with bottles, with every kind of alcoholic beverage you could think of. "This restaurant isn't only for couples. We also do wedding receptions."

"Receptions?" That made sense. If it was a place just for couples, it wouldn't make much sense to have a bar.

Her eyes twinkled. "Yup! Kairi's reception is going to be here!" The raven haired girl was shocked into silence. Did Sora know this? Was this the reason why he brought her here? To scout out the place, so to speak? "I'm actually the maid-of-honor."

Xion nodded dumbly. "So what's this about?"

The manager folded her hands beneath her chin, wistfully recalling the past. "I haven't seen Sora in ten years…" she said softly. "Then he shows up on my doorstep with a girl. Now if you know Sora like I do, Sora does not just walk around with random girls." Xion's face was turning red. "So tell me, who are you exactly?"

She felt under the gun, like she was being interrogated. "I'm nobody," she sighed. "I just work under Sora's cousin, Roxas. I was brought along unexpectedly. There's really nothing between us."

The brunette giggled madly. "Don't be so serious! I'm just curious is all. How about a drink, on the house?"

She needed one, badly. "If you don't mind."

"Bartender, two margaritas!" she barked.

"Right away Miss Tilmitt," he answered.

Selphie gave Xion a sidelong glance. "You remind me a lot of someone…what was her name…" She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Nam…no, Naminé! That was it!" she snapped.

Xion didn't know if she should feel offended or not. "Thanks?"

"No problem!" she said obliviously. "The reason I called you over is because I worry about that guy sometimes."

"About Sora?"

"I never saw him with a girlfriend. So when he walked in with you, I just thought…he actually found someone."

"Here you go ladies," the bartender greeted with two fresh margaritas.

"Thank you, you're a dear."

"Only the best for my boss," he said simply.

The "boss" took a sip. "I just want him to be happy, I owe him a lot."

The dark-haired woman couldn't let a comment like that go uncontested. "You owe him?" She put the margarita to her lips and downed a portion.

Selphie grinned like a thousand-watt bulb. "If it wasn't for him, I never would've met my soul mate!"

She set the glass against the counter, half-empty. "Your soul mate?"

"Uh huh, he's not here right now, but he should be back in time for the wedding." She seemed to miss him, whoever it was.

"Oh, where is he?"

"It's to be expected. It's part of his job."

"Does he work overseas?"

"He's on the road, you might have heard of him. His name is Tidus."

"T-Tidus? The star player of the Destiny Island Chasers?" she almost yelled.

"The very same," she acknowledged, her eyes twinkling. She loved revealing her boyfriend's name, they were always so shocked.

"Wow, how did you two meet?" No wonder Selphie could afford to run such a high-class restaurant, her boyfriend was a blitzball superstar!

"Sora was the reason we were able to meet each other. I guess you can say I feel a debt to him. This restaurant is probably because of him."

Sora was responsible? "Really? How is that?"

"Sora got us together, and for that I'm forever grateful," she said quietly. "I can never forget the feeling of happiness he gave me; I just wanted to give others the same happiness."

"So that's why…"

"Yeah, that's why I made a rule about couples-only. My restaurant is almost as popular as the legend of paopu fruit!"

"Pow-pu fruit?"

Selphie put her hand up to her mouth in shock. "You never heard of it? It's this island's most famous legend." Xion's blank face told her everything. "Basically, when two people share paopu fruit together, their destinies will be intertwined forever."

"Oh…"

"And if you go to Balamb Garden, you will fall in love, guaranteed!" she winked. She finished off her drink. "I've held you for long enough, you crazy kids go have fun now!" Xion laughed nervously, they weren't that far apart in age!

Selphie led Xion to the table where Sora was waiting. He was concentrating pretty hard on the menu. "Sora!" she yelled, grabbing the brunet's attention.

"What is it?"

"Remember the rules!" she warned, wagging her finger. "People are watching, and don't let your date down okay? I'll see you at the wedding!" She spun around and skipped away, leaving two dumbfounded people.

Xion took a seat across from him. "Hey." She was surprised at how comfortable the seat felt, it was almost like a throne. She put her hand on the table cloth and felt the smooth material. "This place sure is fancy."

"Selphie inherited the restaurant from her family. It wasn't always like this though. It was more of a hole-in-the-wall before."

She opened the menu in front of her and scanned a long list of fancy names and foreign dishes. She had no idea what to pick. She peeked over her menu and saw that Sora was doing the same. Shouldn't he be curious? "Aren't you going to ask me something?"

He smiled placidly and put the menu down. "She probably asked who you are right? Probably because she's never seen me with a girl before."

Right on the money, how did he do it? "She said you were responsible for getting her together with Tidus."

"Oh, that?" he laughed. "That was completely accidental on my part."

"Accidental?"

He pulled out a handkerchief and laid it on his lap. "I may have been responsible but it wasn't on purpose. Selphie was a friend of Kairi's from middle school, and Tidus was a friend of Riku's on the high school blitzball team," he explained. "After Kairi and Riku got together, I didn't want to be a third wheel, stuck between a couple. So I asked them to each bring a friend. That way, I wouldn't feel so weird."

"And that's how they met."

"Yup. So instead of being stuck between one couple, I got stuck between two. Can't say its an upgrade going from third to fifth wheel."

It felt like he was omitting some details. "That can't just be it…" she replied, unconvinced.

"What makes you say that?"

"You're not that kind of person," she stated.

There wasn't anymore to the story. Okay, so there was just one small detail he forgot to mention. "Well…I might've scared Tidus into asking her out."

"Scared him into asking her out?" she gasped.

"No no, I mean, after they hung out, he started to like her but he didn't have the courage to actually ask her out. At the time, I was still shocked by the whole thing with Kairi. I didn't want him to go through the same thing I had to go through."

She knew it. Although he tried to come off as a villain, the truth was, he really was a nice guy deep down inside.

A waiter approached them. "Are you ready to order?"

After they settled their orders, they were served a glass of wine, compliments of Selphie.

"So what happened after the crash?" Xion slipped out. It had been weighing on her since they left the hilltop view. He always left before he could finish the story, but not this time, she wanted to know once and for all how it all went down.

He acted as if he didn't hear her, sipping on some wine in the meantime.

"Sora?"

"What do you think happens when you run into a car on a scooter?"

Was it a trick question? "You get hurt?"

"Exactly. I got hurt, and I got hurt bad. I was surprised when I woke up the next day…"

When he woke up the next day in a hospital bed, stirred awake by the heartbeat monitors, with no idea of how he got there. The last thing he remembered was leaving Riku's apartment and after that, it was all blank. He tried moving his head but a neck brace kept him from looking around. His head was fixed, giving him a pretty clear view of the ceiling. It was a grid of tiles with tiny holes. He heard the door open.

"Sora, you're awake!" a voice rejoiced.

"Kairi…" He could her footsteps draw close. A hand smacked him on the head. "Oww! Kick a guy while he's down why don't you?"

"You had me worried," she said guiltily. She leaned over, putting her hand on his forehead. "When I heard you got into an accident—god, it was the worst feeling in the world. Are you okay? You don't have like, amnesia or anything like that do you?"

Seeing Kairi fuss over him like that was kind of amusing. "No, I'm pretty sure I remember everything."

Her shoulders fell in relief. She was still wearing her uniform. "You know…prom is in a week."

"Prom? So what—oh…" Shit. He did not expect this at all. "Crap."

"I guess we won't be going this year," she said sadly, pushing a stray strand out of the way. "And I was really looking forward to it too!"

He knew it was too good to be true. For every good thing that happened in his life, an equally as shitty thing would soon follow. It was the rule of Hikari, what comes up must come down—hard. He had tempted fate far too much in the past week and this was his punishment, his divine retribution, and Kairi was the one who had to pay for it. He couldn't let her down, not like this. Then he realized, "You can still go. I don't have to be there."

She looked appalled. "How can you say that? No self-respecting girl would go to prom by herself!" She grazed his forehead.

"Hey hey! I don't mean it like that, I just meant, you could go with someone else."

"Oh, you're right…but who would ask me out? I kind of made it clear that I was going with you." If he only could.

He wouldn't want some random guy taking her out though. It had to be someone he trusted. There was only one person he could think of, one person that he didn't mind at all since he was his best friend. "What about Riku?"

"What about Riku?" she repeated.

"You should ask him."

She gave a small frown. "I would think he'd have a date already."

Nope, all his dates were discarded in a corner. "He doesn't, he's free."

"Are you sure?"

She deserved to have fun. Even if he couldn't confess at prom, there were still plenty of chances in the future. "Yeah, I'm sure. I don't want you to suffer on my account. Go have fun." What was the worst that could happen?

"Okay, I'll make sure to have enough fun for the both of us! I'll go talk to him right now!"

The food finally arrived for Xion and Sora. It was delivered on special plates designed to make the food look absolutely delicious. It was prepared immaculately. Sora took a bite of the cuisine, feeling the taste of heaven linger on his tongue. After living in hell for so long, it tasted like salvation.

"So then…"

"I was the one responsible," he finished. "I was the one who told Kairi to go out and ask Riku to prom. I thought he was the safe choice, but that wasn't how it turned out. Obviously."

"Then that photo…"

She had quite the memory. "You still remember that? Heh, my mom was telling the truth in a way. That photo was the last time I truly smiled. You saw the cast on my arm right? That was after I was released from the hospital. Kairi came to see me before leaving with Riku. My mom took that picture as a memento."

The plate looked tantalizing, but she lost a little bit of her appetite. "There was no way you could know."

"Maybe if I paid a little more attention, if I had thought less selfishly, I could've seen it coming." He was beating himself over things he had no control over, and it was making Xion uncomfortable. "I waited up all night that day, waiting for them to come back, but I never heard from them."

"Sora…"

He ignored her plea. "The whole weekend passed without a word. I couldn't get in touch with either one of them. I was starting to get worried. It wasn't until I went to school on Monday that I heard it from Selphie."

Sora walked aimlessly around the locker-lined halls, keeping an eye out for any sign of Kairi. It was just before school, when all the students were shuffling to their friends to catch up after an eventful weekend. The place was abuzz with post-prom excitement. He couldn't find them.

"Oh, Sora!" He turned around to see Selphie jogging up to him. "How's it going?" she greeted energetically.

He looked around before answering. "I was looking for Kairi and Riku; you have any idea where they are?"

"Oh, didn't you hear?" she asked, surprised to see that Sora was apparently out of the loop.

"Hear what?"

"Kairi and Riku are _official_ now!" His heart stopped for a second. Just relax, official could mean anything. "That's right, they're an item!" Item could mean a lot of things; it was still open for interpretation! "They're together, as in boyfriend and girlfriend, no doubt about it!" There was…no hope. "I never thought about it but they really do look cute together. I wonder why I didn't see it before? I'm so glad for her…"

Sora didn't listen to the rest of her pointless blabbering. Her voice faded out, and he could neither hear nor see. He could only feel his heart sink through his chest, seeping out with every last ounce of energy he had left in his body. "How did you find out?" he asked weakly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"She told me. Heck, the whole school knows. You didn't hear the news from them?"

No, he heard it from you Selphie! "I've been trying to call them all day, but I never got a response."

"That's weird…"

It _was_ weird, what the hell was going on here? There had to be some kind of explanation, this was just a joke right? He ran off, leaving Selphie chattering to herself. There was no way his off-hand suggestion could actually cause this. Riku didn't even like her! No, that wasn't true; he just never showed any signs that he did. Maybe he secretly liked her all along? But being a couple involved two people didn't it? That meant that Kairi—did she like him too?

The bell rang, signaling the start of class, but he was still wandering the halls. He didn't feel like going to class, not until he could confirm it for himself.

Then he heard it.

Her voice, Kairi's laughter bouncing through the halls. It was faint, but to his trained ears, it gave him a trail to follow. He stalked the hallways until he reached the school entrance. He could see them right outside. They stood next to each other in a conversation. It seemed like any other day. They would wait for him, just like this, after school. The only difference was…

…they were kissing each other.

He couldn't breathe. The world got white-hot, he could hardly see. An opaque veil was thrown over his eyes. He tried to blink off the dizzying spots. Get a hold of yourself Sora! He put his hand on the wall, to keep himself from falling over. It was all he needed to see. It was enough. Just…just go to class and forget about it.

Nothing to see here.

He slipped into the classroom and didn't hear the teacher ask for an excuse. He didn't see the knowing eyes that fell on him, he didn't hear the excited chatter and rumors flying around the room, and he didn't realize that school was already over. He sat there, alone in the classroom, chanting a refrain to himself, "Damn it…damn it…damn it…DAMNIT!" He slammed his free fist against the desk. It hurt. His whole body was hurt. He was beaten, broken, and battered. He even looked the part with the cast on his arm. He stood up and kicked the desk hard. The pain shot through his foot but he didn't care. The pain was a good distraction. "Fuck me."

He belted out in laughter, a maniacal desperate laughter that held no trace of humor. Tears leaked from his eyes. Then he saw himself, back in elementary, on the swing, all alone.

Stop it Sora.

Just STOP IT.

He took a deep breath, calming himself down. He couldn't go back to that. He couldn't become that child again. He wouldn't waste Kairi's effort like that. It wasn't the end of the world. So what if they were together? This was high school, where the standard length of a relationship was a week—a month at most for the lucky ones.

He laughed, for real this time. There was no point in getting riled up. Just wait it out for now. Just pretend and be happy for them.

It was this one thought that allowed him to go home that day. When he finally reached his house, he was surprised to see Kairi waiting on his doorstep.

She shuffled nervously. "Sora—" she called curtly, unsure of what to say.

Just keep a keep straight face. "I heard the news. Congratulations." He tried his best not to sound bitter.

She didn't pick up on it though. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "for not telling you earlier. I wanted to but Riku said…we should've kept quiet. We didn't know how you would react."

That made no sense at all. "Better that I find out from Selphie than from you right?"

Her face fell. "I'm really sorry…I guess the cat's out of the bag now."

"I'm happy for you," he said as neutrally as possible. "I just wondered how it happened." It was sick, he knew it, but it was with morbid curiosity that he wanted to know. Like knowing exactly how your father died, in all its grisly detail.

Kairi did something odd. She changed, and it felt as if the entire world went bright. "He showed me a side of himself that I never knew existed," she revealed, smiling as she recalled it. "It was so strange…he didn't act the way I expected him to. He was different. He made me feel…special." She was spouting generic platitudes. The whole thing sounded like any other high school prom story.

He was sure, they wouldn't even last the month.

Sora finished the last piece of his meal. "This is pretty good," he remarked.

Xion quietly sipped her wine glass. "It is isn't it?"

"I wouldn't expect anything less from a place like this." He took the handkerchief off his lap, folded it neatly, and set it down next to his plate.

"Hey…" she offered weakly.

"That was the beginning of the end," he said, resuming his story. "After that, I said I was happy for them even though I was secretly miserable. Riku was always a bit of a playboy. I figured that they'd break up eventually, and that I'd be there to pick up the pieces, but that never happened. They continued trucking on. Even though I refused to see it, everybody else called it 'true love.' They were inseparable.

"That's when I finally saw it for the first time. Kairi's true smile. The kind of face she could only show around her lover. I realized then that she was truly happy. That Riku and Kairi, legitimately, loved and made each other happy. That smile, it was dazzling, wonderful, but haunting. It hurt me because never in the ten years that I knew her, could I ever make her smile that way.

"I couldn't pretend anymore. I couldn't feign happiness for them. I couldn't admire. I couldn't do anything. So I started avoiding them. Kairi more than Riku, but I couldn't stand it when they were together. I hated myself for feeling that way. I felt so weak and useless. I thought to myself, 'they're better off without me.' I would just get in the way, me and my jealousy.

"It wasn't hard to avoid them. All I had to do was become busy. I didn't do much until that point. Riku had blitzball, Kairi had the student council, and I joined the newspaper. Whenever they called to go hang out, I just made excuses. I had a story to write, I had to help my mom out at the floral shop—it didn't really matter. I had to show up sometimes, just to keep up appearances, but I learned how to shut myself off. Just to avoid the pain of seeing them together. I became cold to them.

"They wouldn't let me go, they weren't willing to. They confronted me. I told them half-truths. That I needed space. That I felt like a third wheel. They tried to reassure me, but that wasn't even the problem. So I ran.

"That's when I met Naminé and the others. After we graduated, I went to Twilight Town and cut all ties with them. The only way they could reach me was through Naminé." He finished talking, and drank the last of his wine.

"You've been through a lot."

"You can say that again." He let out a sigh. "I'm real sorry about this."

She was confused. "What for?"

"For boring you with my story."

That was a boring story? She should be the one apologizing, for not being interesting enough to say anything back. "Not at all, actually, now that I think about it, your story reminds me of something…" She tapped her finger against the table top.

"Like what?"

"Ah! Have you ever heard of the _The Keyblade Chronicles_?"

He gave the most unsuspicious answer he could think of. "Who hasn't?"

"You remind me of…Sky. He's the main character in the book. Have you ever read it?"

He was the one who wrote it. "Something like that."

Something about _The Keyblade Chronicles_ made her loose. She must've been a fan, and it was probably a topic she really liked. "Sky had to go through a lot of obstacles too. He also—"

"We should get going," he interrupted. He really didn't want to hear about his own story, especially since he was blocked at the moment. "It's getting pretty late. Wouldn't want to give my mom any weird ideas."

Her face red, she agreed.

They returned to Sora's house late in the evening. When they reached the foyer, they saw Roxas and Naminé still up, watching TV on the couch. The couple turned to them.

"Hey guys! How did it go?" Roxas asked excitedly. Could he not be so obvious?

"It was fun," Xion said honestly. "I'm going to go wash up." She darted up the stairs before she could come across any embarrassing situations in front of her boss.

"She left pretty quickly didn't she?"

Sora was tired; he didn't want to deal with his cousin's antics at the moment. "Ease off the pedal there. Nothing happened between us." He slipped his sandals off and leaned against the wall.

"That's too bad."

"What did you guys do for the day?" the brunet asked, trying to steer the conversation away from himself.

Naminé smiled. "Same thing as you guys, I was showing Roxas around."

"Yeah, did know there's this ice cream place that has a talking cat? What was it called again? Kate Siths?"

"Ket-shee," Sora and Naminé both said together.

They both laughed.

"Jeez, don't gang up on me all at once now," the blond protested darkly.

Sora shoved off the wall. "Hey Roxas, you think we can talk for a moment, in my room?"

"Sure, what's up?" Roxas got up to follow his cousin up the stairs and into his room. The blond naturally took the bed while Sora sat down by his desk.

The brunet leaned forward with a serious expression. "So tell me Roxas, why did you _really_ bring Xion here?"

Roxas' face lit up like a teacher who got the answer he was waiting for. "What do you think of her?" Nice, answering a question with another one.

He'd play along though, less trouble that way. "She's a nice girl who might be too down on herself."

"Doesn't she remind you of anyone?" the blond asked.

He thought about it. Xion was just…Xion. "Can't say she does."

"She goes out with me," he hinted.

"You mean Naminé? I don't see any similarity."

"Really? To be honest, I don't either."

"Then what's with all the questions?" Sora shot impatiently. Maybe Roxas should learn how to get straight to the point instead of dancing around everything!

"Hear me out!" the man replied, trying to calm his cousin down. "The truth is, I'm thinking of expansion. It's about time Twilight Delivery went overseas."

That was true, but…"I fail to see how that has anything to do with anything."

"I'm getting there," he reassured. "Twilight Delivery is located in Twilight Town, it's where it all started—it's the home base. There's no way I can just leave it to expand, so I have to let someone else handle it."

"So what you're saying is…"

"I want Xion to handle the Destiny Islands expansion." Sora was shocked. He didn't think that Roxas could be so forward thinking. His success wasn't a fluke after all. "Naminé did show me around, but I was looking for office and warehouse space."

So that explained it. "So you wanted to bring her here to get her familiar with the place?" He had to hand to him; Roxas had completely won this round. "Man, you really fooled me. I totally thought you were trying to do another one of your stupid introductions again."

Roxas didn't smile back and shifted his eyes. "Well…about that."

"Wait; are you still serious about that?"

The blond let out a chuckle. "Xion has all the tools she needs in order to succeed; the only thing holding her back was a lack of confidence."

The brunet rubbed his chin. "I can see how you can think that." The dark-haired woman insisted quite strong that she was nobody special. Perhaps a little too strongly.

"I talked to Naminé about it and she suggested that I…introduce her to you."

Naminé was the one who suggested it? "Why?"

"Don't be dense," he scolded. "Naminé told me about all the things you did for her. She says you have a special talent for opening people up, like you have the key to unlock their hearts."

It wasn't like he did it on purpose. "So I'm just a confidence-booster, a workplace training tool for you?" he joked.

Roxas gave him a hard stare. "It's nothing like that. It's just—I'm not stupid Sora." Where did that come from? He sounded angry.

"I didn't say you were?"

"I know. About you and Naminé."

A chill went through Sora's spine. So he knew. Was he angry? Was he going to flip out? "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play me for a fool. She told me everything. I know she loves you," he stated, as if it were a fundamental truth.

"You mean 'loved.' She has you now," he corrected.

He gave a sardonic laugh, it sounded terrible. "No, she definitely still loves you." The blond didn't waver; his stare was still fixed upon his cousin.

Sora met his eyes, confused and guilty. "What are you trying to say? You think I'm going to steal her or something?"

"You can't blame me for thinking that way." His voice was hollow.

"Roxas?"

"On our first date, you know what the first thing she said was?" Sora shook his head. "That she loved you. You're like her goddamned savior and when I think about it, there absolutely no logical reason why you two shouldn't be together. Despite that, I didn't give up. I busted my ass and did everything I could to get her to like me."

"And it worked." Come on Roxas, there was nothing to worry about!

"Maybe, maybe not. You know why we're still together?" he asked cynically.

Sora frowned. "No."

"It's because I trust her. I have no choice but to. It's the only way I could stay with her. Knowing that she still has feelings for you keeps me honest. I know that if I screw up just once, she'll be in your arms in no time."

What the hell was Roxas talking about? What kind of twisted relationship was he imagining? "Isn't that weird? Keeps you honest? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" he stammered out. This wasn't Roxas. He was supposed to be grinning and joking—this wasn't like him at all!

"It's the same with you and Kairi isn't it?" He put out a dismal smile. "Besides, just because I know Naminé loves you doesn't mean she doesn't love me as well."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Wasn't it you who said that we can't help who we fall in love with?"

Sora did say it. Many times. All as excuses against Roxas' introductions. "That's—"

"You want to know the _real_ reason why I try to hook you up with girls all the time?"

Was this a rhetorical question? Of course he knew! "To repay me for introducing you to Naminé!"

He laughed dejectedly. "Nothing as noble as that. It's because…" He broke the stare, his eyes downcast. "…I'm afraid."

"Afraid? Afraid of what?" What could Roxas, the self-assured business owner, the supremely confident always-gets-shit-done Roxas, what could he possibly be afraid of? Then it finally dawned on him. Did he really think…? "I'm not going to steal Naminé from you."

Roxas smiled sadly. "You already did."

Sora couldn't figure it out. Why was Roxas so damn certain that he would steal Naminé away? Aside from that small kiss—and it was a _goodbye_ kiss—there was nothing going on between them. They were just good friends.

"Anyways," Roxas said, breaking the awkward silence, "Don't tell Xion about her promotion. I want it to be a surprise. Good night." Before the brunet could say anything, he was gone.

Sora was left alone in his chair, staring at the closed door. He had no idea that Roxas was so insecure about his relationship with Naminé. On the surface, it looked like everything was just fine between them. There was no reason for him to ruin that.

_Right?_


	8. Save Me

**Chapter 8**

Dark blue stretched all around him.

He was weightless. His limbs lay limp, floating by his side, swaying gently. He was falling. The light rippling on the surface was moving farther away. He sank, deeper and deeper until the darkness covered him. Pitch black. Nothing.

He couldn't see.

He couldn't hear.

He couldn't breathe.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't be.

Somebody…somebody help me…please…

Then he saw it.

A hand.

It pierced the dark cloud, exposing a white shining arm, an ethereal heaven-sent appendage.

Reach for it.

Come on.

No.

It was getting further away.

No.

No.

"NO!" He shot up instantly, eyes wide open, and hands clutching the blanket that pooled around his waist. He searched around frantically but saw that he was in his room, panting for air on his bed, as if drowning just moments before. His shirt was drenched in sweat, and he turned to the dresser to check the time. It was early in the morning, far too early really. He rubbed his forehead, feeling his heartbeat settle into a steady throb. He was no expert on dreams, but a dream of drowning was never a good sign. There was no way he could go back to sleep now. He swung his legs over and felt the carpet with his bare feet. He scrunched his toes, feeling the rough texture between them.

The door suddenly opened. It was Kairi.

"You're up," she stated.

He stared at her. She was completely different now. The Kairi that he once knew was no more, replaced with a more mature and intimidating model. Maybe that was the problem, maybe he spent too much time dealing with fanciful concepts of the woman, idealized versions fashioned from biased memories instead of actually confronting the real thing. The Kairi in his head had never let him down. She would stay by his side; tend to his every wound, to his every problem, and to his every wish.

Run, run, and run away was all he ever did, mentally and physically. He couldn't deal with the real Kairi. He couldn't deal with the possibility that Kairi was not who he thought she was, the possibility that she hated him, the possibility that she pitied him, or the possibility that she just didn't care about him.

She was here though, by his doorway, dressed comfortably, ready to go out for the day. She wore a sleeveless blouse that narrowed around the waist, billowing out in small frills, and a pair of blue jeans.

"Get ready," she ordered. She closed the door after her simple warning, leaving him anxious and keenly aware of how plushy his carpet felt. He got up and went through his usual morning routine. It was as if he slipped through time, falling into the easy rhythm of getting ready for school all over again. He went into the bathroom to shower, brush his teeth, and change his clothes. He stumbled down the stairs until he stopped in front of the dining room door. He should give himself some credit, the old Sora would've never gone through that door willingly; then again, the old Sora still had hope. He opened it.

Kairi sat at the table, eating the breakfast his mom cooked.

"Good morning Sora," his mom greeted pleasantly.

"Good morning to you too," he answered back. He walked over to the table and took a seat as a plate of breakfast was put before him. It was toast with eggs, sausage links, and muffins. He took his fork and stabbed the link, putting it in his mouth, and taking a bite. It tasted good.

"Thank you Ms. Hikari," Kairi said gratefully, pushing an empty plate forward.

"You're welcome," the mom replied, taking the plate to the sink.

The auburn woman settled her attention on Sora, unsettling him in turn. "Are you going to hurry up or not?" He barely took his first bite and she was already breathing down his neck.

"I'll try."

She rapped the table with her fingers impatiently. "Try harder."

"Believe me, I try," he said again.

"If you got time to be playing games…" she warned.

"Yes, yes, sorry. Eating faster now." She was more pissed off than usual, but he probably wasn't doing himself any favors by acting all skittish.

After a breakfast he couldn't enjoy, courtesy of Kairi's supervision, they left the house.

"Goodbye Ms. Hikari."

"Later mom."

Kairi led the way to her car parked in the driveway. It was a shiny white sedan with all the proper trimmings to qualify as "luxurious." Nice to see that some things hadn't changed, the mayor still spoiled his daughter senseless. He gave a low whistle. "Nice ride," he hummed, admiring its sleek design. He should probably get one for himself, he could afford it after all, but it wasn't like he had anywhere to go. Thank god for Twilight Town's comprehensive transit system.

"Just get in the car," she ordered. Couldn't she just accept the compliment graciously?

He followed her directive and got in the passenger-side seat. The chair was comfortable, the svelte material molding with his body as he leaned back. As soon as he put on the seat belt, he lurched forward, almost smashing his face against the glove compartment. Kairi backed up hard, with all the grace of a fugitive running away from the cops. "Dammit Kairi!"

She gave him a sidelong glance that dared him to say another word. He wisely kept his mouth shut. The ride continued in a deathly silence. No radio, no music, and no talk. She was quite determined to make the ride as torturous as possible. He could easily break the silence, but he didn't want to push it. If anything, he'd let her make the first move.

They finally pulled into a rectangle lot that sat in front of a long line of small businesses. She parked the car in front of a shop called "Magical Tailor," turned the engine off, and got out. Sora followed her.

The morning sun was just rising, blanketing the island in a warm orange tint, and small wispy clouds streaked across the sky. The streets around them were fairly empty since most businesses were just opening. "Magical Tailor" was part of a long building with multiple storefronts that ran the length of a block. Next to "Magical Tailor" was an arcade, and on the other side was a pharmacy. Kairi walked to the door and held it open, "Hurry up."

He complied. The glass door closed behind them, followed by the sound of a small bell that signaled their arrival. Racks filled with plastic-wrapped suits and dresses ran along the walls. A plump old lady, clad in a purple dress, appeared from behind the counter.

"Kairi, so nice to see you!" she greeted warmly. She quickly recognized Sora. "Oh my! It _really_ is you!"

"Hello Ms. Fairy, how are you today?" he acknowledged.

"Just fine, much better now that you're here. You're so grown up!" she cooed. Sora gave an embarrassed grin. He always liked Ms. Fairy, she was like the nice aunt he never had, but like all aunts, they tend to fuss a lot. She pinched his cheek and patted him on the head. "Follow me; I have just the thing for you!" He was led past a curtained entrance and into a small room with a three-panel mirror. In front of the mirrors was a small pedestal; he was ordered to stand on it. "Put your hands up dear." She whipped out a tape measure and began wrapping it around his body. "Now tell me, Sora, what took you so long to return home?"

He settled on a disarming excuse. "I was waiting for a special occasion. Eek!" She tightened the tape around his waist.

"The occasion certainly doesn't get any more special than this," she remarked innocently.

"Y-yeah."

She made a low hum. "She's missed you a lot," she revealed. "She told me all about it when she was trying on dresses."

"Who?"

"Who else? Kairi."

"Really? What did she say?"

She gave a gentle smile. "Something or another. Perhaps it was pre-wedding jitters? There, finished! I think I got the right size, let me just go and pick it out for you." She left the dressing room.

Pre-wedding jitters? What was that supposed to mean?

Ms. Fairy finally returned with a tuxedo wrapped in plastic. "Go try this on and come out when you're ready."

He put on the suit, starting with the white collar shirt, proceeding with the pants, then with the under vest, the cummerbund, the jacket, and finally the bowtie. He checked his reflection. The last time he was here, it was before prom. He never had a chance to wear his tuxedo though, thanks to the accident. What would've happened if he never crashed? Hell, what would've happened if he never suggested Riku in the first place? Would he be standing here, dressed for a wedding, as a groom instead of a best man? He stepped off the platform and left through the curtains. He was met with two different faces: one excited, and the other uncertain.

Ms. Fairy clapped her hands. "You look dashing! Why, if I didn't know any better, I would say you were the groom!" If only. "What do you think Kairi?"

She averted her gaze. "Yeah…it looks great."

Sora laughed at her display of cognitive dissonance. She sure inspired a lot of confidence in him. He'd just have to take Ms. Fairy's word for it.

"How does it feel?" the old lady asked.

"It's a little snug, but it works."

"Great!" Ms. Fairy let out. She turned to Kairi, "Is it a wrap?" The auburn woman nodded. "Okay, let's get this thing off you!"

Sora undressed (in the dressing room) and let Ms. Fairy wrap it up for easy transport. He carried the suit and followed Kairi back to the car. She opened the back door. "Just hang it in here." She went around the vehicle and got in the driver's seat.

He hooked the clothes to the handle above the window and got in the passenger-side. "So…where to?" he asked. She didn't say anything as she sat there for a few minutes, staring at the steering wheel. "Kairi?"

She put her keys in the ignition and turned the engine on. He probably wasn't going to get an answer out of her at this point. Although she didn't say anything, he noticed that they were heading towards the beach. He wondered what she had in store for him. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

They drove about ten minutes until they reached the beach lot. Normally one has to put in coins in the meters to keep a spot, but since Kairi was the mayor's daughter, she had a special permit that exempted her from losing all her change. She turned the engine off, opened the door, and stepped out. He could see her through the windshield as she jumped over a low brick wall that separated the sand from the concrete and walked towards the beach. His eyes followed her form until she stopped before the water and sat down on the sand.

Was he…supposed to follow her? He looked in the driver's seat and saw her cell phone laying there with no possibility of an interruption. He exited the car and felt the breeze blow past his face, carrying the rich salty sea scent to his nose. With his eyes trained on the girl, he leapt over the brick wall and approached her carefully. He sat down next to her.

They were alone. It was still early in the morning and they were parked in an isolated part of the beach, which explained the lack of people. The only noise was the sound of the waves crashing and the seagulls squawking. On either side, the sand stretched out in the distance, fading against rocky silhouettes. They weren't that far from the foaming seawater, about ten feet probably. They sat there for awhile, saying nothing as they watched the tides roll.

She was the first to break the silence. "Do you remember?" she asked. He turned to her, but she was gazing at the ocean. "We used to come here all the time as kids," she laughed. "We had a lot of good times together. Blitzball, swimming, building sand castles, just messing around…" She faced him, meeting his eyes, night-ocean against blue-sky. They could see their own reflections. "Sora. Tell me, why did you leave? Why did you run away for so long?" As soon as she finished asking the question, her eyes clouded. It was an imperceptible lowering of the upper eyelid that revealed a shadow of doubt and fear.

He could tell. She knew. She knew why he was gone for so long. She was afraid but she had to hear it. They both had to hear it. How long had he kept it in now? Ten years? No, even longer than that. She was finally giving him the chance to let it go, to let the truth out, to let his feelings fly. Would he finally confess his love, the love that he locked within his own heart for so long, sealed within the dark and twisted confines of his soul?

He imagined this moment so many times. There were thousands of ways he could do it. He rehearsed every possible method but could never find the best one. It probably didn't exist. All he had were pathetic sentiments weathered by time, distorted with despair, and filled with desperation. Now that he was actually here, faced with a scenario that was no longer hypothetical, his brain just shut down. No amount of practice could mentally prepare him.

He gazed at her still-expectant face. She really was beautiful, more beautiful than he remembered. His eyes followed the gentle curves of her cheek, admired her perfect unblemished skin, and fixed upon her sweet lips. A breeze came, blowing her hair gently, auburn strands dancing in the wind. Could a woman be so perfect? There had to be some kind of flaw, but there wasn't. If there was any, it was that she wasn't with him. Even in this situation, he couldn't quite quell his selfish thoughts.

He was getting hot, the heat inside spreading out from his body to his fingers. His heart beat wildly, thumping against his chest, wanting for escape. He wanted to calm down but his body wouldn't, it was too agitated, too excited about the prospect of release. He could feel his insides vibrate, wound with years of tension, just waiting to surface. Beads of sweat were forming, and his breath was getting short.

His heart and body were prepared, but his mind wasn't. Logic dictated that confessing was a huge mistake. She was about to be married in less than a week. He couldn't do this to her, not now, not when she was about to experience the one thing that all girls dreamed of experiencing, a marriage to the perfect man.

Logic be damned. He needed to do this. Keeping it inside was not an option anymore. He had kept it inside for ten years and where did it get him? Absolutely nowhere. No, if was going to get anywhere, he _had_ to do this. No more excuses, no more distractions, just fucking say it already!

His hands tightened up, clenching the sand in his fist. He brought it up and let the sand sift slowly through his fingers. "I…" What are you so afraid of? She was already getting married. Not to you, but to Riku. You have nothing to lose because you've already lost it all. Don't be a sore loser now, accept defeat! "The reason I ran away…it's because…it's because I…" I can't do it! Why is it so hard?

"Sora," she said pleadingly, her face desperate. The expression didn't suit her. Did he cause this? Did he cause such a beautiful face to look so hurt? Why deny her what she wanted?

His mental defenses had finally shattered.

It was time.

Time to say it.

To say four little words.

Four little words that changed everything.

"I love you Kairi."

There.

He said it.

After all this time, after ten years of pent up emotion, he finally told her how he really felt.

It was such a devastatingly simple sentiment, but it was a sentiment that controlled his life.

Now he would finally see what it was all for, all those years of misery, of agony, anguish, and self-hatred.

How would she react to it?

Her eyes didn't change, still dark with the same shade of fear and doubt. She quickly averted them, turning around, her auburn hair covering her face. She didn't say anything. Her shoulders were low, and her hands lay limp against the ground. Her fingertips dragged against the sand, gathering particles until she closed her fist.

"_You don't mean that." _

He almost didn't hear it. The sound of the waves crashing, the wind blowing, and the birds chirping, it drowned out everything.

Her head lifted, and she looked at him.

"You don't mean that."

He heard it clearly this time. There was no mistaking it. There was no mistaking the disbelief, the hurt, or the anger in her voice. There was no mistaking the sadness on her face or the tears that leaked from the corner of her eyes. Her mouth was taut, teeth clenched with barely restrained emotion.

"You don't mean that!" She shouted, chanting it like a spell, as if repetition could change the truth, alter his feelings and make everything better. "You don't mean it! You don't! You can't!"

So this was how it felt.

To give his heart to the only girl—the only woman—he ever loved, and have it completely destroyed right in front of his face.

It felt like nothing.

It made sense. How could he feel? He was destroyed. He didn't exist anymore.

His body, once hot from anticipation, had turned cold. The blood stopped in his veins and numbness began to spread.

She pushed herself up and looked down on him with fury. Her lip quivered, and her shoulders shook with rage. "How could... " She had a tough time speaking. Her breath was short. "How could you do _this_ to me?"

How could I—what the hell? Was this some kind of twisted joke? Why was she getting angry? She was the one rejecting him! "What?"

"How could you do this to me!" she screamed. She was primal, her hair was in disarray.

Kairi…how could she be so cold? Was this the real Kairi? Did she play him, make him fall in love with her only to reject him, to accuse him of a sin greater than heaven or hell? No, she didn't have a right to act this way. She spent the last decade of her life happily with Riku while he—while he lived in the dregs of his wretched mind, carving out a pitiful existence for each day of his life. "How can I—how about **you**?" he yelled back defiantly.

"You weren't supposed to say that Sora! You're not supposed to!" Her words stabbed at him, puncturing holes in his already perforated heart. What lengths would she go to damage him, to ensure his complete annihilation?

"I'm not supposed to?" he gasped incredulously. "What, I should've just kept my mouth shut then?"

"It would've been better for everybody if you did! How could you say you love me now Sora? Right before my own wedding?" she asked desperately.

"I—" he couldn't give a good answer. She had a point.

"You did this on purpose," she accused. No he didn't. He just couldn't do it before!

"That's not how it is. Come on Kairi, you were with him for the past ten years, you expect me to just tell you while you still had a boyfriend?"

"YES!" she yelled back. He was stunned by the outburst. "Because if you do it now, you'll ruin everything!"

Right. Her life was perfect. She was about to be married to her dream man but he had to screw up everything. How dare he? He could he, a nobody—scum, how could he confess to her when everything was about to be just fine? He was just a nuisance—an abomination.

But even if that were true, he was still human godammit. He had feelings too!

"Maybe I should've just kept it to myself then. Keep it inside until I died, all alone and miserable. Maybe that would've made you happy?" he spat, his words dripping with venom.

"Dammit Sora! Why do you always have to make things so hard for me?"

"So it's my fault then?" The ice inside was melting from the flames of anger.

"YES!"

That was it. He couldn't take it anymore. She had no reason to act this way, if anybody should be angry, it was him. He didn't hold it in for all these years just for _this_, whatever the fuck _this_ was.

"I can't believe you," he said, shaking his head. He stood up, his face distorted with pain and anger. "Can you even imagine what it was like for me? Do you have any idea how much I _fucking_ suffered because of you?" She winced at his laced words. "I ran away because I couldn't take it anymore! Why should I stay, pretending to be happy for you? You know how much it killed me?" His words hurt her. Good. He wanted her to be hurt. She should taste it too, the same shit that he had to taste every day of his shitty life. "For the last ten years, you haunted me. I could never escape from you. You owned me. I was a slave. I couldn't do anything; I couldn't go a single second without thinking of you. I wanted to be free from your grasp but you just wouldn't let me go. I couldn't stop myself! I'm pathetic, I know, but I loved you! I loved you! I just wanted to be with you but I—"

But what? There was nothing between them now. No friendship or love, just hate and sorrow. It was such a heavy burden, to carry this weight only to be crushed by it in the end. If this was what it meant, then—

"—I wish that I never met you."

If he had never met her, then none of this would have to happen. He would never have to feel this way.

If he could go back in time, he never wanted to meet her again.

They both stood there with tears, either from sadness or anger, streaming down both their faces. It was a like a contest to see who could inflict the most hurt.

Kairi was overwhelmed. After the shock wore off, outrage settled in.

"Fuck you," she let out. "FUCK YOU."

Sora laughed. It was a dangerous laugh, the laugh of a man with nothing to lose. "Story of my life Kairi. I've been fucked over all my life. It's nothing new to me."

SLAP!

It stung.

It was the hardest slap he ever felt. Her fingernails had grazed him, leaving bloody trails on his cheek. The physical pain…it felt nice.

She backed off, breathing hard, having put all her strength in her violence.

"Fuck you," she repeated again.

She stomped off, marching towards the parking lot, trampling the soft sand beneath her feet until she reached the brick wall and leapt over it. She got in the car.

He wondered if he should follow her but got his answer when the car started, backed out of the lot, and drove off.

She was gone.

He gave a small chuckle.

So that was it.

He ran away for ten years just to have her do the same.

He laughed.

Could life be so utterly pointless, so utterly bereft of meaning?

His laughter turned into a breathless expression of insanity, melting with the sounds of the angry waves, the intense squawking of the seagulls, and the deafening sound of his own shattering heart.

He fell back on the sand, literally rolling in laughter. It finally died down, turning into sobs. He clutched his sides, sore from his maniacal fit.

What did he have to do just to be happy? He couldn't run, he couldn't stay, he couldn't tell her the truth. All paths led to one conclusion: nothing. It was his destiny to be miserable. That was the only explanation. Couldn't he change it? Couldn't he just give up his fortune, exchange all his money for a reason— a reason to smile?

He bowed over, his forehead digging into the sand. "Fuck it, fuck it, fuck it," he said ceaselessly. He couldn't stop.

In the end, she was the one who ran away. Maybe the reason he ran was so that he wouldn't see her do the same. Pathetic. Utterly pathetic. He got on his knees and straightened out a little. "So…this is what it feels to be heartless…" He dusted the sand off his clothes. "…to be nobody…" He kneeled down. "…to be me."

He didn't move as he fixed his gaze towards the ocean. He always thought about it, about what might happen when he finally did confess. He considered many different outcomes:

She would be shocked but reveal that she secretly loved him all along.

She would let him down gently, saying that she just wanted to be friends.

Or what actually happened instead.

He had come across the worst-case scenario. So what now? What happens after this? Were they still even friends? Should he even bother showing up at the wedding? After that…it probably wasn't the best idea. Hell, he should probably get on the first flight off the island and disappear.

There was another way he could disappear. He was looking right at it. The ocean water. He could drown himself. Then he wouldn't have to worry about anything. No more Kairi, no more deadlines, no more _Keyblade Chronicles_, no more Sora…he couldn't say that he never thought of it, just ending it all. Would they even care? Probably not. He was nobody.

As tempting as it was, he could never do it. No, his father's death was enough. He let out a hollow laugh. What could else he do then? He couldn't kill himself but…there was still someone, someone that he could kill with no remorse. He looked up.

Sky.

Maybe that was it? Sky dies in the third book. Nobody would ever expect it. It was a twist guaranteed to sell millions. Sorry fans, but he had to die, for my sake. God, what am I talking about? I'm not making any sense. It was all nonsense. There was nothing now.

Nothing.

The sun finally reached its zenith, shining with full power in the noon. Sora vaguely felt the air around him be disturbed as more visitors swarmed the beach. The sound of splashing water, of voices, and laughter surrounded him. Men, women, boys, and girls ran around with such glee and happiness. Blurry afterimages of people, in swimsuits, flitted past his eyes. Everything was moving in fast motion, objects zipping back and forth until everything slowed down.

It was afternoon.

Then early evening.

The sky was red and getting darker by the minute.

He had sat there for the whole day.

He wasn't hungry. He wasn't thirsty. He wasn't tired. He wasn't anything.

Soon enough, night had descended, blanketing the entire beach in pitch-black darkness.

…

…

…

It was a soft sound. Like grains of sand being pushed aside. They were footsteps. The sound was getting louder and louder.

"Sora?" The miserable man looked over his shoulder to see Naminé with a small keychain light shining in his face. She was wearing her favorite outfit, a plain white summer dress that stopped at her knees. "Sora!" She jogged over and crouched before him. "I was looking all over the place for you," she revealed worriedly.

He almost couldn't see her, the night having rendered his senses blind. He knew she was there though. He could hear her soft breathing and smell her perfume. He struggled, trying to pierce the dark cloud that covered him until he finally saw it, her face—her soft and elegant features. They seemed to glow in the darkness. "Naminé…"

She cupped his face with her hands to take a look at him. His face was cold and his eyes were bloodshot, like he had been crying. "Are you alright?"

Naminé was different from Kairi. She would never let him down; she would never do what Kairi did. "You look beautiful Naminé." She really did. Just as—no, even more beautiful because her face held something that Kairi's didn't.

Love.

Caught off-guard by the comment, her face colored. "Sora?"

Unlike Kairi, Naminé loved him didn't she? She always cared for him, always listened to him, always wanted him to be happy. Why did he never see it before? She was the perfect girl. "If I was drowning Namine…would you save me?"

She frowned. Something about Sora was…off. She knew why of course, he must've been hurting. He was vulnerable now. His heart was gone, and he needed something to fill it in with. He needed her. "Of course. I would never let you drown."

He could see it in her eyes. Her love. It was in the way she looked at him, the way she spoke, the way she moved. It was captivating. She was an angel. He took her hand, feeling its warmth. "You're warm."

She felt it. A small tingle from where he held her. She was caught in his gaze; it called to her, asking for salvation. She was entranced by his aqua blue eyes, the eyes that she so often dreamed of. His lips were slightly open, inviting her kiss. "Sora…you're not…yourself." He was close. His presence was overwhelming. His hand softly caressed her cheek. She barely suppressed a shudder. "You can't…" It was a weak protest.

She wanted him.

"Save me," he whispered. "You're the only one who loves me."

He closed the gap and captured her lips.

She didn't resist. She leaned into it, tasting him, running her tongue along his lips. He held on to her body, laying her softly against the sand. She wilted right into him. She knew she shouldn't be doing this but—her mind wasn't working. She had wanted him for so long and here he was, finally, kissing her. She held on to him, feeling his shoulders, his back, his chest, his body.

"_Sora…"_ It was wrong. She knew it. But it felt so right. This was how it was supposed to be. How she longed for him. Her heart was about to burst. She didn't care anymore.

Sora lost himself in the sensation, in the feel of her body. She melted with his every touch. She was so pliant in his arms. He could do anything he wanted and she would let him. She wanted this. She hooked her arms around his neck, keeping him close. He looked into her clear eyes. They were alluring, filled with an emotion he so desperately needed. She gave him oxygen, heat, and a reason to live. He breathed in hard, taking in her intoxicating scent. He continued his ministrations on her lips, her mouth, her jaw, trailing down to her neck.

"_I—" she hesitated. "I love you." _

He gently pulled the strap on her shoulder down, exposing her skin. She was divine.

"_Is it strange of me to say I love you even though I'm your cousin's boyfriend?"_

He blew his hot breath against her, letting his moist tongue run across her body. She let out a soft moan. She was enjoying it.

_"Sora, relax. I've felt this way about you for a very long time…"_

He stroked her face, gingerly felt her neck, and pulled the other strap down, exposing her chest. She let out a small gasp.

"_Don't play me for a fool. She told me everything. I know she loves you."_

He massaged her, squeezing her gently. Soft whimpers of pleasure escaped from her lips. His hand went down to the hem of her dress and he pulled it up in agonizingly slow fashion. Her legs were beautiful, milky, soft, and silky.

Her hands clutched his shirt, tugging it, trying to pry it off him. He obliged, taking the shirt off for her. He leaned against her, their bodies pressing into each other.

"_I'm not going to steal Naminé from you."_

Their hands ran over each other, their tongues danced together, and their hearts became one. He was in a daze. His body moved on its own, guided by natural impulse, searching for physical touch wherever he could . He drowned in her feeling, letting her presence overpower his senses. He hiked her dress, letting it crease past her waist.

He was sinking further and further. If he didn't stop soon, then…

"_You already did."_

He stopped.

"Sora?" It came out like a small whine.

What am I doing? What the _fuck_ am I doing? He shut his eyes, willing himself back to the surface. He was aware now. He was on top of Naminé, both of them half-naked, about to do something that they would both regret if he hadn't stopped. He let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry." He rolled off her, his back against the ground, and his hands over his face. "I'm sorry," he repeated again.

She stared at his shameful form and looked down on her own half-naked body. She took a deep breath. Her heart was still going a thousand miles an hour. After her hands stopped shaking from the excitement, she pulled the straps over her shoulder and flattened out her dress. She bit her lip. There was no denying it, she was feeling…disappointed. She knew it was terrible to feel that way, but her body didn't agree. She was still hot. She waited a few moments to let her body cool down before answering. "It's okay." Okay for him, but definitely not for her.

"I was—taking advantage of you," he admitted. He sat up and found his discarded shirt. He put it on slowly. He didn't want to look at her face and instead looked down. "Will you forgive me?"

She knew he was vulnerable when he grabbed her. If anybody was taking advantage, it was her. She was the one with the boyfriend, she was the one who knew he got rejected, and she was the one who was supposed to stop him. Her heart didn't lie. She would gladly allow herself to be ravished by him, to succumb to his desperate need for physical contact and love, without question. She shook her head. "No, it's fine," she excused. "We—we should—we should go back."

He finally looked up, his face full of remorse, "Yeah, we should."

The writer stood up and brushed the sand off his clothes. He held out a hand out to help Naminé up. She was still glowing from what happened earlier. They avoided each other's gaze carefully. She started walking toward the lot. He followed but kept his distance.

Roxas…did he know this was going to happen? Was this why he tried so hard to pair him off with other girls? He looked up to see Naminé's back. He felt disgusted. How could he do that to her? He knew she loved him and used that to just—god—he was sick.

He didn't know what came over him. When he saw her, she was just so beautiful, like a savior sent from heaven. Kairi hated him, hell, he hated himself—but Naminé…she loved him. He had no idea why, but she did. He knew that and took advantage of it. He almost did something that he could never take back. If he had taken her, right there on the beach, what would've happened? Roxas was still his cousin, he was still family, a person who looked out for him. He couldn't betray him! Despite that…he didn't care at the time. He just wanted her love…and her body.

God, he was so fucked up.

He kept moving until his legs hit the brick boundary. He was so busy berating himself, he didn't realize it. He saw Naminé waiting beside a car.

"It's my parent's," she explained.

He bowed his head, climbed over the barrier, slowly walked to the passenger-side door and got in.

It was a silent ride, not unlike his previous one, but this one was worse since the previous silence was in anticipation of a bad confrontation. This silence was in reflection of a monstrous sin. It was terrifying how everything had spiraled out of control. When he saw her on the beach, the only thing he could think of was "save me."

He watched the dark scenery pass by, a hazy blur of dark shapes and ominous figures. Even in the darkest moments of his life, there was still a small piece of light that kept him alive. It had kept him moving forward, stumbling blindly in the darkness…it was called hope. But that light was all but extinguished now. There was no point in moving on. No more effort was needed. Just stay still…forever.

"We're here." They were parked in the driveway.

Sora tried opening the door but it was still locked. "Naminé?"

"You didn't do anything wrong." Are you kidding me? Of course I did! "I—I knew you were vulnerable. I knew what happened earlier so I went looking for you. I know you don't love me Sora; you were just…looking for some comfort. Even though I knew that, I didn't stop you. I'm the one who should apologize. I'm sorry."

"Naminé…" She had nothing to be sorry for, it was his fault.

"Just forget about it okay? Don't—don't tell Roxas. I mean, it won't ever happen again right?" she gave a nervous laugh, trying to reassure herself of that fact.

"Yeah." It was just a moment of weakness. He loved Naminé, but just not in that way. It shouldn't—wouldn't happen again.

"Let's go in." They left the car.

It was late, a little after 11 maybe. They went up the path to the entrance. They entered quietly. They were greeted with the sight of Roxas waiting on the stairway.

"Naminé!" he shouted out, standing up in relief. He noticed Sora, "You found him."

Naminé nodded.

Something was odd. They were acting strange, as if something happened between them. No...Roxas shut his eyes and turned around. He could tell, just from their body language, from the guilty look on their faces, they did something that he—

"I'll be in the room," he said curtly, before sprinting up the stairs.

"Roxas—wait!" She ran up to follow him.

Sora leaned against the wall tiredly. It figured. He couldn't even look at his cousin in the face. He didn't even have to say it. Roxas probably had an idea. He warned him after all. It was true, he did things to her that no other man besides Roxas should've been allowed to do but— that was all he did. Nothing else happened; he made sure of that—just barely though. Just remembering it made him a little hard. It was only Roxas' words, his pitiful defeated face that stopped him.

The front door was still slightly ajar, letting a cold breeze in the house. He shivered. As he went over to close it, he heard sounds from the kitchen. He shut the door and entered the dining room to find the source of the noise.

Xion was sitting at the table, eating watermelon. "Oh, Sora! You're back!" she welcomed cheerily. Her demeanor was oddly…comforting. She had no never known love or its destructive consequences.

"Hey. Eating watermelon?"

She nodded. "I just love watermelon, don't you?"

He did. He really did, which was why he took a slice off the plate and bit into it. It was juicy. "It's good." He hadn't eaten the whole day. He took another bite. "How was your day?"

"Naminé and I went out to buy a dress."

"Did your things come in okay?" he asked, remembering that Roxas had called in a special delivery service.

"Yeah, although, I think he went a little overboard. He basically sent my whole apartment over."

"He tends to go overboard sometimes." Sora knew why Roxas went overboard in this case though. He was trying to prepare her for a move to Destiny Islands. It was pretty presumptuous on his part though, who said she would accept in the first place?

"Naminé told me a lot about you. When we were shopping."

"Nothing bad I hope?"

She shook her head. "It's strange," she pondered.

"Strange?"

"The way she describes you…you're like a completely different person. You always beat yourself up but I think…I think you're a really _good_ person at heart." He grimaced. That might've been true before what happened at the beach, but now...he was a horrible person. No two ways about it. "Anyways…when Naminé and I came back, I heard about what happened. I'm sorry."

"Heard about it?"

"I sort of—overheard things."

Xion and Naminé were driving back to the house after a round of shopping. They had a nice chat together, mostly about Destiny Islands, but also a little bit about Sora. They were small stories about high school but they were things that Xion never knew about him. Sora made it sound like he spent all of high school in a daze of depression, but Naminé recounted all his accomplishments, things like making a girl's blitzball team. He was also the one who gave Naminé the confidence to display her artwork in front of the whole school.

"He does a lot of things he doesn't want to take credit for," she explained.

"Why would he do that?" Xion asked back.

"He's humble to a fault," she offered plainly. "But I think the real reason is that he doesn't realize it."

"Isn't that…kind of dumb?"

"Well he is kind of dumb."

They giggled.

They finally returned to the house but saw Kairi's car in the driveway.

"Are they back?" The girls unloaded their cargo and made their way to the front door. They entered to hear sounds of arguing in the kitchen.

"What do you know?" the voice screamed. It was Kairi's. The two girls looked at each other, debating whether or not they should enter.

"I know everything. I've been with Sora for the last ten years, more than you can say that's for sure," Roxas' voice spat back.

"I don't even know you. Where the hell do you get off on lecturing _me_?"

"But I _know_ you. You never saw him did you? The _real_ Sora. He always put up happy faces so you could never realize it. He's pathetic the way he is now. All he does is spend all day on the computer, running away from life, running away from **you**. It's all your fault!"

"You don't understand anything."

"I understand enough. You can't even call yourself his friend, because a real friend would know that something was wrong but you…you just ignored it, all for the sake of your own selfishness."

"Shut up."

"You're no friend Kairi. You're just a bitch."

"SHUT UP."

The door to the dining room slammed open. The two girls froze, seeing the bride-to-be stand there. She looked terrible, her eyes were red and puffy and her face was tired. She didn't say a thing as she noiselessly walked past them.

Naminé ran to the kitchen and looked inside. Roxas was standing by the counter, a dour expression on his face. "Roxas?"

"N-Naminé?" he stuttered. "Did you…?"

"Where's Sora?" she asked.

He crossed his arms. "I don't know. When she came back, she was alone."

Xion finally entered the room. The situation was tense. "What happened?" she asked.

Roxas let out a dark laugh. "Make a guess. She crushed Sora's heart. I knew this would happen. I knew this would happen…"

"Then Sora is somewhere…all alone by himself," Naminé realized. "I—I have to go find him!" She quickly ran out of the kitchen.

"Naminé, wait!" Roxas yelled. He jogged out after her, leaving Xion alone by herself in the room.

Sora took a slow bite of his melon, absorbing Xion's story. His stomach was churning. Melon probably wasn't the best dinner but it made no difference. His stomach was ravaged from stress anyways.

Great. Everything was falling apart now. He shouldn't have come. None of this would've happen if he hadn't come. Roxas would still be happy with Naminé, Xion wouldn't be stuck halfway across the world, and Kairi and Riku would marry and be happy forever. As for him? Nothing changed. He would still be miserable, but at least he wouldn't be dragging down everybody else with him. This trip was the most pointless endeavor in his life.

"Could things get any worse?"

Ringinginging!

It was the house telephone. Xion looked at Sora, wondering if he would pick it up. He stood up slowly and let it ring for a few more seconds before answering. He really didn't want to deal with extraneous stuff at the moment. "Hello?"

"Sora? Is that you?"

"What is it Riku?"

"You gotta help me!" His voice was frantic.

"Calm down, what's going on?"

"It's Kairi. She's—she's _gone_."

Sora hung up the phone.

He knew he spoke too soon.


	9. You Can't Always Get What You Want

**Chapter 9**

It was two days before the wedding.

Sora stood in the kitchen of his home, staring at the phone that lay idle on the countertop. He suddenly recognized the phone for what it was after a few seconds of bewilderment. He had hung up so abruptly, he could imagine Riku's worried voice speaking ineffectually against a flat dial tone. He debated with himself whether or not to pick it up, but decided to wait for it to ring instead. If it was truly important, Riku would call again.

It didn't ring.

Sora let out a sigh of relief. He should've been shocked, worried, or upset but he wasn't. The whole situation was somehow expected—obvious even. Maybe she finally recognized him for who he really was; a gutless coward. Seeing Kairi was the last thing he wanted to do right now, and he was sure she felt the same way. He had no desire to look for her, not after that mess at the beach.

"Did something happen?" Xion asked. From her seat at the table, all she could see was Sora's back. He was quiet.

He turned around, showing an exhausted but amused expression, and shrugged his shoulders. "Kairi's gone."

Xion gasped. "She's…gone?" He crossed his arms and nodded. "What happened?"

"Riku's searching for her," he explained, "but he can't find her. He called to tell me." The brunet got off the counter and walked back to the table. He took a seat, grabbed another slice of melon, and bit into it. His teeth gnashed the fruit, reducing the melon to red particles and juice.

The raven girl watched as he ate the melon in silence. "Aren't you going to look for her?"

"No."

She was taken back with the quick answer. "Why not?"

"I don't think I'll be much help. I thought I knew her but—a lot changes in ten years. I have no idea what she's thinking or where she could be. Riku would know better. If he's not having any luck, what hope do I have?"

The logic made sense, but…it didn't fit—not with Sora anyways. "Don't you love her?"

His head snapped up, surprised by the question. "Of course I do."

"Then you should look for her, even if you don't know where she is."

He looked down in shame. "I'm the reason she ran away. If I found her, I doubt she'd be going anywhere with me."

"Sora…"

"She'll turn up sooner or later. Riku's out there looking for her. That should be enough. Getting myself involved would just make things worse." That was right. Doing nothing was the best thing he could do now. He had already done enough damage, why add more fuel to the fire? There was no point anymore. Doing nothing was his specialty anyways. He had been doing nothing his whole life. He was roused out of his thoughts when two arms snaked around his neck from behind. "Xi-Xion?"

"It'll be okay," she offered. It was a bold move, but when she saw his face, she could tell that he was beginning to withdraw. She recognized the pattern, the pattern of self-abuse, a vicious cycle of negative thinking. She didn't want him to fall into that deep pit of despair, so she did the only she could think of: hold him.

He closed his eyes, feeling Xion's small arms wrapped around him. He felt her warm breath blowing against his skin. It was comforting.

He tilted his head and saw her looking back. She stared at him with those eyes of hers, a shade of purple-blue that reminded him so much of Kairi. Her gaze held something fierce, it was belief. She believed in him. Why…why did she have so much faith in him?

But…

He was grateful. Perhaps that was all he wanted, for someone to just say that everything was going to be okay, even if it wasn't. It was nice to hear those words. He tugged at her arms until she let go. "Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," she replied back, looking away embarrassed.

"No, really, thank you. I needed to hear that."

"You would do the same, wouldn't you?"

He smiled. "I'm going to sleep now; it's been a long day."

"I understand."

He got up, walked to the entrance, and looked over his shoulder. Xion stood awkwardly by the table but gave him a small nod. "Good night."

"You too."

He exited and saw that the living room was empty. He went up the stairs and dragged his feet slowly. He tried to process everything that happened that day but it was too much. He finally confessed to Kairi only to be rejected outright, he totally screwed things up with Naminé and Roxas, and to top things off, Kairi was gone.

He reached the second floor and looked to the left where the guest rooms were. He quietly made his way over and leaned against the doorway. He could hear the low voices of Naminé and Roxas. They were talking. That was a good sign.

Naminé and Roxas were the two people closest to him. They were there for him when he was alone. Despite all they did for him, he took their generosity and crushed it with his own selfish desires. There was no excuse for what he did. He just hoped that things would be okay for them. He would never forgive himself otherwise. He backed off and went to his room.

As much as he wanted to check out, his brain was in too much turmoil. There was no way he could go to sleep. His mind would turn things over and over without stopping. Going to bed was simply not an option, so he sat down at his desk. He stared at the empty surface, thinking about what to do next. Then he opened the drawer where all his old school supplies lay. There was an old notebook, half-filled with notes, diagrams, and other random scribbles. It wasn't like he forgot about them. They were reminders of his "accomplishments" in school. All the things he did in an effort to lose himself in work. It was these accomplishments that he used to write _The Keyblade Chronicles_. They were the events of his life, all the ups and downs that mirrored his character's story.

But all he had done in life was run away. Running away was the worst thing he could have done. Running away never takes you where you want to go; it only takes you away from the real problems. What did he hope to accomplish by running? There was no endgame to it, no long term solution, it was only logical that things would blow up in his face when he could no longer run. Kairi reacted in the worse possible way. The only explanation was that she hated him. She always had a fiery personality…maybe that should've tipped him off. She was never going to welcome his confession, not when she was about to be married. He made things more complicated than they had to be. She just wanted her Sora back, Sora the friend and nothing more, not some lovelorn loser trying to ruin her wedding because he was too much of a coward to tell her years before. Her best friend ran away for ten years and came back only to tell her that the reason he ran away was because he loved her…

He laughed. He could see how crazy, how utterly ridiculous it all was. When he actually thought about it, his reason for running away, while true, made absolutely no sense. Of course she would never believe it; it just came off as some twisted joke. That was what his life was—a bad joke.

He looked down on his notebook and turned the pages until he reached a blank one. It was where his life stopped. He didn't keep diaries, but he did write down random thoughts. The last entry was right before he left Destiny Islands for Twilight Town:

_Today is the last day I'm going to see her. I'm not going to say goodbye or let her know that I'm leaving. My mom asked me if I was sure about this. I'm absolutely sure. The faster she forgets about me, the better. I hope she's happy now. I don't care about myself anymore. The only thing that matters to me is Kairi. Her happiness is the most important thing. Goodbye._

He snorted. He made himself sound so noble, so honorable, and so selfless. It was all a load of bullshit. He just couldn't stand them together. He would rather not see them at all then see them together. He didn't want that pain, and the best way to deal with it was to avoid it altogether.

He pulled out a pen and wrote a sentence:

_I return home to find that everything has changed. _

He underlined the sentence and made another one:

_But I haven't changed at all. I'm still the same coward I once was._

He circled it:

_Will I ever change? _

He underlined it:

"_Can I…change?"_

A drop of water hit the notebook.

He clenched his eyes shut, to keep the tears from leaking out. The sentence was like a punch to his gut. He could feel his heart sink and his chest collapse. It was a stunning realization, a realization that filled him with profound sadness. After all this time, he was still the same. It was the worst feeling of all, to know that can you never grow; that there was no such thing as a better tomorrow.

_Who am I?_

_Nobody._

_I can't change my real life but if things were different…then I would be different. Then—_

His pen scribbled furiously, the questions and ideas flowing out of his fingers. His feelings, his thoughts, and his dreams spilled messily over the blank page, with random circles and lines filling every inch of the paper.

This was it!

Inspiration.

He knew there was no hope. It was too late for him, but not for Sky.

For a writer, nothing is more important than his own experience. He uses it to write the story. Sora couldn't finish the book because he lacked the necessary experience, but now that was no longer the case. Isn't that the origin of all great art? From the pure exquisite pain of life experience? All the disappointments and disillusionment that comes with growing up? He was no longer lacking in that department. He was seized by turbulent emotions, a reaction from the delirious mix of harsh reality and his own fantastic imagination. Life was a desperate run towards some unknown goal. He was sprinting for a chance that no longer existed. What makes life bearable is the illusion of possibility. His _Keyblade Chronicles_ was just that, an illusion of happiness, a happiness that he wanted for himself.

He continued working throughout the night until he filled up the notebook. He closed it and scoured his drawers for more paper. He wrote on everything he could find: old essays, books, and even newspapers. If it had a writable surface, he wrote on it. He did not stop for fear of losing the thread that lead to the conclusion. He chased after it, following its twist and turns until finally; he reached the most important part: the ending.

He had to make a decision.

A decision that would change the entire outcome of the story.

But he couldn't make it. Not yet anyways. His story wasn't over yet. The wedding date hadn't come. After that, surely, the end would become clear.

He leaned back against the chair, tired and aching from his night-long writing session. Natural light was beginning to seep into the room now. He checked the time; it was 6:00am. He had stayed up all night. He got up and walked over to his bed. Before he could have a chance to collapse, the door opened suddenly.

It was Riku.

"You're awake," he said in relief.

"What are you doing here?" Sora asked back. Instead of falling over, he sat down on the edge of the mattress.

"You have to help me find her." Riku looked terrible. His eyes were heavy, tired from aimless searching, and his clothes were disheveled. It was obvious he was out all night.

"I won't be any help," the brunet said simply. He had no idea where she could be—he hadn't even seen her for the last decade for god's sake.

"You were the last one to see her!"

"Xion and Naminé were the last ones," he corrected.

"Yesterday…what did you tell her Sora?"

"What do you mean?"

"Her disappearance, it must've been something you said. What did you tell her?"

Sora gave a grim look, he couldn't escape this. Riku had every right to be furious. The only reason she was gone was because of him. It was time to come clean. "I—I told her that…" He let the statement linger in hesitation.

Riku lurched forward and shook Sora furiously by the shoulders. "That what?"

"That I loved her alright!"

Riku's face froze, his pupils shrinking in shock. "You…no…that…" He couldn't string together a coherent series of words. Was he so furious that he could barely speak? He snapped his head up and stared at Sora straight in the eye. "You have to help me then, you're responsible!"

He knew he was responsible but what else could he do? What's done was done. It's like killing somebody; you can't bring them back to life again. "I—even if that's true, I still can't help you."

"Don't lie to me! You know where she is, don't you?"

"Riku, did you even hear what I said?"

"I heard you perfectly clear; it means you're hiding her!" The accusation was ridiculous to the point of hilarity. The brunet couldn't stop himself from bursting out in laughter. Riku was not amused. "What are you laughing about?"

"Because it's impossible, why would I be hiding her? She rejected me outright okay? If I knew where she was, I would've told you already."

The silver haired man shook his head. "I don't believe you. You know where she is! Help me!"

"Riku, I can't help you because I don't know!" he emphasized again. Was Riku always this dense?

"No, you _can_ help; you just have to do it for me. That's all, please," he pleaded.

"Riku, I haven't seen her for the last decade. I'd have no idea where to start. You should know better than me."

"You're lying!" he accused. "You know where she is!" He repeated his earlier assertion, as if it were the truth. His persistence was puzzling.

"I—I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm being completely honest here."

"No, you know, I know you do. She—she told me so. Look, I know you don't want to help me but please, I'm begging you, just…do it, find her." Riku fell on his knees and bowed down. "I'm begging you."

"Riku—what are you doing? Get up! What the hell is wrong with you?"

The man on the floor grabbed his friend's leg. "You got to help me Sora!" This wasn't like him, why was he acting so…desperate? So miserable?

"Christ Riku, calm down."

"I can't! I love her too much. If I can't…" He went silent. "If I told you the truth, would you help me?"

"Huh?" What truth is this?

"I'll tell you the truth…" He got up on his knees again and eyed the floor. He began to chuckle deliriously. "It's all my fault." He looked up with a pained expression. "It was all my fault," he laughed.

He was getting tired of these cryptic words. "What was your fault?"

"Everything Sora." The brunet gave a blank stare, unsure of how to react. "I guess you had no idea huh?"

"Spit it out already."

"Your accident…"

"My accident…?"

"It wasn't an accident."

"What accident?"

"The one…before prom."

That accident.

The accident that changed everything.

"What are you talking about?"

Riku closed his eyes, recalling the events. "I didn't borrow your scooter to go shopping Sora. I tampered with it."

"_Mind if I do a little bit of shopping?" _

"You _what_?" Sora replied incredulously.

"Of course, you probably would've realized it right away, but that was only if you were thinking straight."

"Thinking straight?"

"_Hey, let me make it up to you, have a nice pretzel."_

"I made sure that you wouldn't be when you were riding back."

"_You got any drinks? Salty pretzels always make me thirsty."_

"And how were you supposed to do that?"

"_Yeah, let me pour you some soda."_

"I put alcohol in your drink."

"Alcohol?"

"It was your first time so you probably didn't notice, but you were drunk."

"That's impossible! I—"

"Could you remember Sora? What happened right before you crashed?"

No, it was always a blank. He just blamed the accident for the memory loss, but if that wasn't the case, "Then you…?"

He nodded sadly. "I did it so…so that I could take Kairi out."

The world stopped.

Riku was responsible?

He was responsible for the accident?

All just so that he could—

"What the _fuck_?" Sora's shoulders were shaking. "You did that just—I could've _died_!"

"I—I know that! But you didn't!"

"Were you trying to kill me? And for what? Just because—just because you—"

"Because I LOVED HER! I loved Kairi okay? I couldn't let you take her out because I knew that if you did—then—it would be too late for me."

This wasn't happening. THIS WASN'T HAPPENING. The world was spinning. Sora got down on one knee and held on to his head. It was too hard to concentrate, his head was burning. "Too late?"

"I couldn't let you take her away from me Sora. I just couldn't! It was my only chance. You understand right? If you had the chance, wouldn't you take it? Wouldn't you? It was love—it makes you do crazy things!"

No. He couldn't understand. He couldn't understand at all. He would never do anything like this. "Fuck you Riku."

"I know," he let out shamefully, tears running from his eyes. "I know. I'm a terrible person. I'm horrible, I'm scum! I deserve everything you say but…I did it for a reason. It was love. That's why you have to help me!"

The brunet, shaking with rage, looked up to see his friend's tear-stained face. The one friend that he thought was his best was the one who ruined everything. He betrayed him. How _could_ he? How _dare_ he? And he had to gall to ask for his help after admitting his crimes?

He pulled his fist back and punched Riku in the face. "**Fuck you** Riku! All this time, all this fucking time—it was because of **you**. I should kill you right now. I should fucking kill you right now!" His hands clasped Riku around the neck. "I'll **kill** you!"

Riku didn't offer any resistance. He lay there, limp with Sora's hands around his neck. _"Help me find her Sora. Please…" _

"**Umpth**!" The brunet was tackled against the bed. Roxas was on top him, holding him down.

"What the hell are you doing?" the blond asked, doing his best to restrain his cousin.

"Let go of me!" the brunet yelled angrily.

Naminé rushed in and looked over Riku, checking his neck for injuries. She looked at Sora with wide eyes. "Calm down Sora, just tell us what happened."

Sora gave a mirthless laugh. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" Naminé and Roxas both turned to Riku, who appeared catatonic. "Let go, I won't do anything. I promise." The blond gave him a disbelieving look but complied.

"What's with all this racket?" a voice said from the door. It was Ms. Hikari.

"Nothing." Sora walked past his mom and ran down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" she called after him worriedly.

"Nowhere." He put on his shoes and ran out the house.

His head was on fire. He clenched and unclenched his hand to work off his frustration. His blood was boiling with the heat rising to his brain. He couldn't think straight, everything was red. He looked at his shaking hands. They were bleeding from the fingernails that dug into it.

He almost—if it wasn't for Roxas, he really would've—fuck! He started running, sprinting off in some random direction. He pumped his legs tirelessly, on and on, without any heed to the outside world.

His fatigue finally caught up with him.

He collapsed onto the sand.

And began dry heaving into it.

Bile mixed with last night's watermelon poured from his mouth. He was struck by esophageal spasms hurling unwanted excess from his stomach.

It was all a bad dream. No—it was a fucking nightmare. He spat out the last remnants of whatever bad taste was left in his mouth and wiped the saliva trails away with his hand. He turned over and fell on his back.

He was back where it all began.

The beach.

He was just so tired. He didn't have a chance to sleep, and with everything that had happened, he just wanted to die. The finely honed narrative that he carved out for himself no longer fit. It was always his fault; it had to be, because if it was, then everything was under his control. It was the only way he could get through life. If he blamed himself for everything, then nobody around him could get hurt.

But that wasn't the case. Riku, his best friend, betrayed him. Because of Riku, he spent ten horrible years drowning in his own misery. If only they had never met…

No, that wasn't right.

It wasn't Riku.

"_You understand right? If you had the chance, wouldn't you take it? Wouldn't you?"_

Riku just did what he couldn't.

Take a chance.

"_It was love—it makes you do crazy things!"_

Love makes a mockery of us all. Love, what a terrible thing. Was love responsible for everything? All the hurt and pain he had to suffer? If this was love, then love could go to hell.

Love makes us pathetic.

Love makes us stupid.

Love makes us horrible.

Riku…

Riku had never known love until Kairi came along.

He had no parents.

He lived alone.

Kairi was the first time he felt it. It must've been intoxicating to feel that warmth and comfort. To feel the loneliness inside just…_disappear_.

He craved it.

He needed it.

So much that he would do anything to keep it.

Even if it meant destroying his best friend.

Even if it meant destroying Sora.

It was understandable.

But it wasn't an excuse.

There was no excuse for such blatant betrayal.

People are such horrible creatures.

But why did Riku have to tell him that? Why confess now? It would be better to keep it buried. Why was he so damn desperate?

"_No, you know, I know you do. She—she told me so."_

What did Kairi tell him to make him think that?

Where was she?

How could he know anything?

Forget it. There was no point in thinking about it. Destiny Islands was just too big. She could be anywhere.

Wait.

Destiny Islands?

The Destiny Islands which is famous for the legend of paopu fruit?

"_Basically, when two people share paopu fruit together, their destinies will be intertwined forever."_

_"__We even shared paopu fruit with each other but that legend's just bullshit."_  


He shoved himself off the ground. He knew where she was. He ran across the beach towards the docks.

The legend was true after all, but it worked its magic like a monkey's paw. The wish came true, but in the worst way possible.

He finally reached the plank walkway with small rowboats floating in the ocean. He jumped in one and started rowing towards a small island off in the distance.

Their destinies were inextricably intertwined. They had controlled each other's lives whether or not they realized it.

He was dead-tired but it didn't matter. He continued to strain at the oars against the small waves.

He remembered where it was that they shared paopu fruit together. It was in their "secret place," a place that he had almost forgotten.

"_Come on Sora! Let's try it!"_

"_Why are we doing this again?"_

"_Because of destiny!" She broke a star-shaped fruit in half. "Here! Let's bite in at the same time!" He nodded. "One…"_

"_Two."_

"_Three!" They both bit in simultaneously. "So…?"_

"_I don't feel any different." _

"_Hmmm…I guess its up to us now."_

"_Huh? Then what's the point of eating it in the first place?" _

"_Who cares silly?"_

They stopped going to the secret place after elementary. Since they met Riku in middle school, he never knew about it.

Sora laughed. The legend never specified whether their intertwined destinies would be for good or bad, just that they would share it together. No doubt, the legend was making sure they were sharing a horrible destiny.

After twenty minutes of rowing, he finally reached the shore. Grounded on the sand was another rowboat. He pulled his boat further inland to make sure it wouldn't drift off to sea. Opposite the beach was a line of trees, shrubberies, and small hills.

He ducked through leaves, bushes, and shady palm trees until he found a pond with a small waterfall. Behind the waterfall was a cave entrance to the secret place. He shimmied over a wet stone path until he reached it. His eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. He continued to explore the rocky hall until it opened up into a big room. There was a giant hole in the cave ceiling, letting light shine on a lone person sitting in the middle.

It was Kairi.

She looked heavenly.

"I knew you would find me eventually."

He walked over and stood in front of her. She was subdued, lacking the fire that she displayed yesterday. She was hunched, her hair veiling her face. Despite everything, he still loved her. "Everyone's looking for you."

"I know." Her shoulders sank. They were both exhausted. Was there anymore to be said? She made it pretty clear how things stood between them. "Are we still friends?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"I want to know if we're still friends," she repeated.

He heard it perfectly clear the first time. Was she being serious? "I should be the one asking you that."

She chuckled softly. "I'm sorry…for everything. I—I overreacted." Damn it Kairi, why did she have to make it so hard for him to hate her. All it did was raise his expectations for no reason.

"Just forget I said anything. Hell, forget everything. Let's just go back to the way everything was," he suggested. "It's better that way."

"No," she replied curtly.

"Kairi?"

"What happens after that Sora? We pretend to be best friends again? Is that how little you think of our relationship?"

He was a bit shocked. "What's the alternative? It's better to pretend it never happened."

She gave a cheerless laugh. "How could I forget what happened?"

"If you don't, it'll just make things harder. Let it go."

"Is that what you really want?"

No, but what choice do I have? "Yes."

"You don't understand anything do you?"

"What is there to understand?"

"I love you."

Had he…imagined that moment? He could've sworn that he heard something impossible. He shook his head. "Explain to me what I don't understand."

"Sora. You're not listening. I love you."

He busted out laughing. How many times had he heard that? It lost all meaning at this point. She was joking right? "That's funny Kairi, but a bit demented don't you think? If it were anybody else but me, they'd probably be real angry right now," he joked.

"I love you."

He hadn't heard wrong the first two times. Was she actually…? "S-say it…again."

"I…love you Sora."

"C'mon Kairi, this joke's in rather bad taste don't you think?" he said uneasily.

"I'm serious Sora."

"Don't _fuck _with me Kairi!" He grasped her shoulders, looking at her with wide eyes. "Don't _fuck _with me! Haven't I had enough? Please, you don't have to make me feel better. Just…"

"I'm serious Sora…I love you, and I've always loved you, and I still do..."

"No Kairi, you don't, you're marrying Riku in two days okay? You don't love me, you don't! You hate me Kairi, say you hate me okay? Hate me!"

"I don't…I love you Sora," she repeated tearfully. Why was she crying? He's the one who's supposed to be crying!

"No! No! Why…why are you saying this…? You can't love me, it's impossible! Because if you do—" Then what the _fuck _have I spent the last ten years of my life doing?

"It doesn't matter how many times you say it Sora, I will still love you no matter what."

"Why? If you're telling the truth, then why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Why didn't _you_?"

"Because I—" He was at a loss for words. "Because you—there was no way you could ever feel the same way."

She gave a sad smile. "I felt the same."

"No—that's, that's completely wrong. How can you be—there's no reason for you to think that! Look at you Kairi, you're beautiful, you're _fucking _beautiful. Me, it makes sense, I'm nobody, I'm—"

"You're wrong Sora."

"I'm not!"

"You're a good person."

"Don't say _that_! It's not true! I've always been a coward, I've always been afraid, I'm just—I'm just—"

"Human."

He stared at her in shock. Even when what he was chasing for all along was right in front of him, he refused to believe it. He collapsed to his knees and fell against her. She held on to him. "I've always loved you Sora. I loved you so much that it hurt."

"But why?"

"Are you kidding me Sora? You saved me. If it wasn't for you, I couldn't imagine how my life would've turned out."

"I…saved you?"

"I was alone…until you came along. I lost my parents, don't you remember?"

"But the mayor took you in."

"That was the problem. The kids treated me differently because I was the mayor's daughter—but not even his real one. They hated me because…I don't know—jealousy? I was never popular. They shunned me. I started to hate them you know that? I was beginning to think that I was better than them but then you came along."

"Weren't you always friendly? You were so popular in school."

"That was only because of you. You treated me normally because you didn't care who I was. Because of that, the other kids changed their opinion about me…that was when my life really changed."

"I don't remember that."

She smiled. "Of course not, because to you, it wasn't special. You did it simply because that's who you are. For me though, it was more than that. You watched over me, you defended me, you encouraged me, and you always listened to me. Around you, I felt safe. Your smile, your bright smile, it always made me happy to see you with it. You're an amazing person, so much so that I…fell in love with you."

Who was this person she was talking about?

"That can't be me."

"It was and still is."

"Then for how long?"

"I don't know. Elementary school? Middle school?"

"That far back? Then why didn't you…?"

"I was afraid," she laughed uneasily. "I was so afraid that you wouldn't accept my feelings. Each moment I spent with you was more painful than the last. If I ever told you and you rejected me, I would…I would die."

"Then why did you go out with Riku!"

She put her head down, her voice turning into a soft whisper. "I was really surprised when Riku confessed to me at prom. I didn't feel the same way but I saw it as a chance…"

"A chance?"

"I loved you Sora and because of that, I was afraid of what would happen if you ever found out how I felt. For all I know, you would never talk to me again. I couldn't destroy our friendship."

"So you…?"

"So I agreed to go out with him. I was only using him to run away. I thought that if I had a boyfriend, it would take the pressure off, and then I could stay by your side as friends."

"But that didn't happen."

"I thought you hated me Sora. I thought the reason you ran away was because you hated me! For ten years…it broke my heart that you left without ever saying anything. You never gave me a chance to tell you how I really felt. But there was still someone there, someone who loved me even though I didn't feel the same."

"Riku."

"He helped me put the pieces back together; he helped me get over you."

"That's why…"

"When you told me you loved me, it's just…my entire life felt so pointless. If you had told me you hated me, I would've been able to marry Riku with no regrets because I would've believed that I never had a chance with you but now…"

"I've ruined everything. You can't marry Riku because everything's changed now." He gave out a dark laughter. "We're the same. We're both idiots. Two sides of the same coin. "

He wanted to curl up and cry forever. He thought he would be happy to hear her confess but he was even more frustrated than ever. If they had both hated each other, it would've been easier to move on but now…it was all just a massive waste. In their fears, they both ran away from what they were looking for all along. If only one of them just had the courage to tell the other how they really felt…they could've been happy, happier than they could've ever imagined. Instead, they chose to suffer away from each other because of fear.

"Do you remember when I asked you to share the paopu fruit with me?"

"How could I not?"

"Even then…I think I knew you were the one I loved."

"I'm not…that special."

"You never realized it Sora, but you are a _good_ person. The most generous, most kind, most welcoming person I know. You're far better than me."

She loved him before he even loved her. Wasn't that supposed to be enough? Wouldn't things work out as long as they loved each other?

But it didn't.

"_I couldn't let you take her out because I knew that if you did—then—it would be too late for me."_

Riku knew. So that was why he went as far as he did.

"Do you love Riku?" he asked suddenly.

She averted her gaze. "Yes," she confessed. "Ten years is a long time Sora, just as long we knew each other. It's a lot of time for feelings to change and grow."

"But you still love me."

"Yes…"

"_It's the same with you and Kairi isn't it?"_

Roxas' words echoed. Despite his aloofness, Roxas was sharp. He predicted everything exactly. That must be why he was so good at business.

Naminé and Kairi. His two best friends who happened to love him and another man. What the hell was he? A second option? A back-up?

"So what now?"

There was a long silence.

"I trust you Sora." She stood up and walked in close, clasping her hand around his. "That's why I'll leave it up to you."

"Leave what up to me?"

"Tell me what to do and I'll listen." Did she mean…? "If you don't want me to marry Riku, I won't."

"Why?" Why leave the decision in his hands?

"Because you're the one who was the hurt the most right? I can never make up for my own shortcomings, so I'll leave it up to you."

"You can't do this. You can't just shirk your responsibility." Why was he fighting against this? Wasn't this _his_ chance to get what he'd always wanted? Kairi. To be happy with her forever?

She gently squeezed his hand. "I'm a selfish woman Sora. Please, just let me make this one selfless decision. Just this once. I owe it to you."

If that was the case. Leave Riku. Don't marry him. Go away with me. We can be happy together, forever. You love me don't you? I love you too. Let's be together.

She was so close, closer than she had ever been in his life. She admitted that she loved him. There was nothing standing in his way now. This was it. He took his hand and gently stroked her cheek. Her face was warm. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. She—his destiny—was in his hands. He put his forehead against hers. "Kairi…" he softly whispered. He could feel her. The gentle warm aura that he remembered. The feeling of comfort, of safety, of home.

"Yes…?"

"I…" Let me be selfish just this one time. I deserve this, don't I?

He kissed her. Their moist lips met, letting out years of frustration, years of disappointment, years of anger, years of misery, years of harbored love out in one passionate kiss. Each felt their hearts soar. Their tears mixed with each other. They wanted it for so long. They thought they would never have a chance. It was almost unreal, like it was fake, a complete fabrication, a fancy dream that they would soon awake from.

He pulled away, sucking the air in between his clenched teeth. She tasted so sweet.

"Kairi…"

She pulled him closer to kiss him again. They kissed, again and again, as if the world would end. With her arms hooked around his neck, she pulled him closer to the ground against the dirt.

"Sora…" she gasped, calling out his name. "I love you so much…" He was over her, one arm holding her up, and the other stroking her hair. She arched back and exposed her neck. He moved to it, biting her flesh softly, sucking at the skin. She let out soft moans. Her breath was getting shorter and her heart was racing.

He dipped his head further in, moving from her neck to kiss her jaw, and back down to her collarbone. His hand snaked underneath her blouse, feeling her soft skin with his hand until it reached her bra. She pulled the blouse off and scrunched her hands in Sora's shirt and began tugging to get the offending article off him. She succeeded.

They stopped; marveling at the other's half naked form. His hands went to her jeans, popped the button, and pulled down the zipper. She pushed the denim off, leaving her in nothing but panties.

She was so beautiful.

Didn't something like this happen before? No, of course not. Something like this had never happened. Only in his dreams and in his fantasies…but not anymore. This was real. He could have her. She was his. He could feel her hands running through his hair, he could hear her soft moans and whimpers of pleasure, but most importantly, he could feel _her_. A pair of hands went to his pants and eagerly pulled on the belt. She leaned up and nibbled on his ear. She gave a sharp tug and his pants were down. She wrapped her legs around him, feeling his hard excitement against her.

She wanted this. Just as much as he did. God he wanted this, so much it physically hurt.

So why, why couldn't he continue on?

"Sora…?" she asked. "What's wrong?" He looked into her confused violet eyes. They were begging him for an answer.

"I…" He let out a shudder. "I made my decision."

Her face crinkled in confusion. Didn't he already make his decision? "What do you mean?"

He pulled his arm from under her and leaned away, setting his back against a boulder. "Marry him. Marry Riku."

She lay there, shocked by his declaration. Was he serious? "Why?"

Why indeed?

Insanity?

Reality check?

As much as he loathed to admit it, it was because of Riku. The pathetic image of the Riku, on his knees and clinging to his leg, stopped him. Kairi meant far more to Riku than anything else in the world. If he took Kairi away from him, Riku would probably fall apart in ways unimaginable. The brunet had never seen his friend, who was always so cool and collected, be so wretched and pitiful before.

What did it matter? Riku was a traitor wasn't he? Did he not commit an act so deplorable and despicable? He deserved this. He deserved to have Kairi taken away from him.

But the man was driven by an emotion that he had never experienced before.

Love.

It was true; love makes us do crazy things, and maybe that was why Sora made his decision.

"It's because I love you."

"I don't understand."

He didn't quite understand it himself. Why was he trying so hard to deny himself what he wanted for so long? Was it because he loved the idea of Kairi more than the actual girl herself? No, that wasn't it, he really did love her but…why? "I've always—we've always lived…by leaning on each other. Because of that, we'd probably be happy together."

"Then why?"

"Because nothing would change."

"But things _would_ change. We'd be together, we'd be happy!"

The logic was sound, but deep inside, something told him that it wouldn't be the case. He wished that he would shut the hell up already.

"No. We'd continue to live on each other. We would never grow. We would never learn to rely on ourselves."

"Rely on ourselves? What's wrong with relying on each other? Isn't that what love is?" Yes, that's what love is! Somebody please stop me from talking!

"No. It isn't." Why do people fall in love? "Isn't the only reason we love each other is because we're hopelessly dependent on each other?"

"You say it like it's a bad thing."

"Isn't it?"

She shook her head. "It's nonsense. It doesn't mean anything. You don't want to accept it because you don't believe in yourself."

"Exactly!"

"What?"

"Even if you believe in me…I still won't believe in myself! We still won't believe in ourselves. We won't live according to what we think, we'd start to dictate the other's lives."

"Aren't you just being paranoid? Why are you rejecting me?"

"I'm not! I'm just—I—it's because I'm afraid okay!"

She grabbed onto his hand. "Don't be."

"It's just…I mean, what if things don't work out? What if, in the end, things fall apart and we go back to where we started?"

"Isn't that a risk worth taking if it means a shot at happiness?"

"Of course! That's standard! It's what every couple goes through! I know that but…"

"What is it? What's the real reason Sora?"

"It's because…I just can't. I can't be together with you if it means taking you away from Riku."

She was shocked.

He couldn't believe that he actually said it out loud.

Was that really the truth?

Her shock begin to melt into a soft smile. "You see Sora, that's the reason I love you. You're kind and generous to a fault."

Even though Riku was the worst piece of trash out there for being such a cockblock of epic proportions and for being a traitorous swine, he was still a friend. He shouldn't care about Riku's feelings but he couldn't let it go. He didn't have it in him to backstab a friend. "I'm an idiot."

"Don't say that, you're not."

"Come on Kairi. When you put the choice in my hands, it's not really a choice. You knew what my decision was going to be all along didn't you?"

She shook her head. "No. It's just because I'll always trust you to make the best decision. But is this what you really want?"

He thought about it. Why do we love, why do we crave the attention of others? Because we're not satisfied with ourselves. We look for others to correct our flaws. We want to find the kindness and warmth that we lack in others. We latch on to them and hope that we can have it, ignorant of the possibility that we hold it in ourselves to be just as kind and gentle. The answer was told to his face countless times. Every time someone said it to him, he never believed it.

If this wasn't damning evidence to the contrary, then what was it? Self-delusion? No matter how he looked at it, this was the decision with the most benefit. He would move on, Riku would be saved, and everything would finally change.

We change so that things could be different, so that things could be better.

"Does Riku make you happy?" he asked.

"He does. He really does," she answered.

"So then, there's no problem right?"

"What about you Sora? What about—_us_?"

"Although it might sound immature, the fact that you loved me makes it easier for me to let go and move on."

"Why would that be immature?"

"It sounds like I'm just a kid who only wanted a toy he couldn't play with."

She laughed. "I know you don't think that way."

"I'll move on. I think…more than anything, I just wanted to let you know how I really felt. I didn't want to regret never telling you when I had the chance."

"Sora…"

"I'm sorry Kairi. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. With things as they are, I don't think we can be together as lovers."

"But—"

"We can still be together as best friends."

"What?" She looked up only to see him **grinning** back.

She was stunned. That smile. The smile she fell in love with was there again. How she longed to see it. She broke down, crying. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!" She hugged him tightly, holding on to him for dear life.

Why did he come back again?

It was to make things better. The reason why Riku asked him to be the best man, the reason Kairi demanded to know the truth…it was all because they wanted his grace, his approval, and his blessings. There was no way they could get married otherwise. It was impossible to marry, not unless he said that it was okay.

He was an idiot wasn't he?

"Come on, your fiancé is waiting."

She wiped her eyes. "Yeah…"

They left the "secret place."

They approached the beach where they saw two rowboats. They decided to go back in one. He rowed while she sat quietly, contemplating about everything. The boat rode the waves, going up and down in a gentle motion. She wore a serene expression, a look of peace. He looked past her as the small island shrunk smaller and smaller until it was a distant piece of rock.

He was still waiting for that moment to come, the moment where he realized how completely insane he was, then he would change his mind and tell Kairi he was just kidding but…that moment never came. The burden of his love had finally lifted and for the first time, he could breathe again. He felt…peace.

Still, he was an idiot wasn't he?

After they reached the docks, they walked all the way back to his home. They never said a thing to each other. Just a day before, they rode in awkward silence but the current silence was anything but awkward.

They finally reached the front entrance. They gave each other a look and went through.

As soon as the door opened, somebody shouted. "Kairi!" Riku jumped from the couch to see her. "Y-you're back!"

"Yeah…" She noticed something odd. "Riku, what happened to your face?"

"Oh," he looked at Sora guiltily. "I…"

"I punched him in the face," Sora revealed.

"What? Why?" Were they fighting over her?

Riku's eyes were downcast. "The truth is…I—"

"He was so worried about you; I had to calm him down. I figured a punch in the face would do the trick." They both looked at him shocked.

"Really?" she gasped.

Riku's face asked the same question.

"Yeah, really. Now if you excuse me, I need to go to sleep."

That was his good deed for the day. Hell, it was his good deed for his entire life. Riku owed him big time now. Better to have him owe a big favor than be miserable.

Sora ran up stairs, ignoring the stares of his Twilight Town mates, the couple, his mother, and entered the door to his room. He walked over to the bed and fell over.

Gone.

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Thud!

Sora woke with a start, feeling the impact from falling off the bed. He looked down, seeing his body drag down the comforters with him. He tasted the inside of his mouth. It was dry. He got up on his knees with exhaustion still tugging on his muscles. He went over to the dresser and spun the clock around. It was 8am. How long was he out? He got up unsteadily and walked out the room. The house was quiet. He looked down the hallway and saw that the door to the guest room was slightly ajar. Long shadows were cast out in the hallway. He approached the door and poked his head in.

Xion was looking at herself in the mirror. She was dressed in a strapless satin dress that left her neckline exposed. The upper bodice was tailored with pleats and the dress reached down to her knees, giving ample view of her legs. A small bow coiled around her waist. It was emerald.

Sora gave a low whistle.

"Eek!" she turned around, hugging herself, blushing furiously. "S-Sora, you're up!"

"You look nice." He meant it. "You don't have to be so shy."

"I—usually don't wear things like this," she admitted nervously. "But Naminé…"

"Has good taste," he finished for her.

"Y-yeah. Anyways, how are you? You've been sleeping since yesterday."

"Yesterday? Doesn't that mean?"

"Today's the wedding."

"Oh…shit."

She giggled. "There's still plenty of time though. Actually, there's something I want to ask you."

"What is it?"

She fussed over the hem of her dress for a few moments. "Roxas told me about his plans to expand to Destiny Islands and he said that…he wanted to me to handle it."

"Congratulations."

"You knew?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I only found out two days ago."

"Oh."

"Is something wrong?"

"N-no, it's just…I don't know if I can do it." He gave her a rather long and uncomfortable gaze. "W-what?"

"Is it if you _can_ do it, or is it if you _want_ to do it? There's a difference."

"Huh?"

He **grinned**. "I know you _can_, but whether or not you _want_ to, is up to you."

She stared at him in stunned silence. "Your lady-killer gri—oh my god, it's highly effective!" She turned around abashed. "I'm not ready for this, g-get out of here!"

Sora narrowly dodged a thrown pillow before he could wonder what on earth she was going on about. "Jeez, I'm going, okay!" He closed the door and went downstairs. He peeked into the dining room and saw that it was just his mom. With a flower basket in hand, she spotted him immediately.

"Sora! Finally up huh? You slept the entire day." Flowers were placed all around the kitchen. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I missed something."

His mother giggled. "You always do, dear."

He smiled. "Mom, can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?" she said, pausing to look at her son.

"Am I a good person?"

She put down a basket and walked to her son, giving him a tight hug. "Only the best. You have your father's genes after all." She mussed his hair. "You should get dressed, the wedding's going to happen soon," she chided.

"Thanks. I…I love you mom."

"I love you too."

He left through the dining room door only to see Roxas and Naminé carrying baskets.

"Whoa, Sora, you're finally up!" his cousin said.

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're just helping your mom load up the car with flowers. We'll going to drop them off at the church," Naminé supplied. "Why aren't you dressed yet?"

"I—"

"You men are so lazy," she decried. "Let's go." She grabbed the brunet by the arm and dragged him up the stairs. "We're gonna get you dressed!"

After a whirlwind of wedding-related tasks from getting dressed, making sure his bowtie was straight, carrying flowers into the car, driving back and forth just to get everything ready, Sora found himself on the steps of the church. He looked at his watch. It was 10:30. The wedding would be in 30 minutes. He looked down at himself and saw the smart tuxedo he wore. It was true what they said, clothes really do make the man, and he felt exceedingly sophisticated at the moment.

So came an honest day. The sun was uncovered, bathing the chapel in an unnatural and ethereal light. The chapel sat in the middle of the city, the brick-by-brick bell tower clanging for the world to hear. He walked underneath giant arched doors.

"Sora, is that you?" He saw a blond with spiky hair look back at him.

"Tidus?"

"Holy crap, it _is_ you!" he laughed. "Damn, haven't seen you in ages, how have you been?" He went and gave the brunet a bro hug, one arm to the chest, and the other with a pat on the back.

"I just got here, kind of wondering where everybody is."

The blitzball player nodded his head. "There are rooms on each side." He pointed to the left, "bride," and pointed to the right, "groom."

"Thanks." Sora decided to see Riku first. He opened the door and saw the groom pacing back and forth nervously. He decided to call him out. "Yo."

The silver man did a small bunny hop. "Sora? Y-you're here?"

He put on a confused face. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"It's just—I thought—I mean, don't you hate me?"

Sora strolled into the room and took a seat on one of the couches. He looked up at his friend, who was wearing a nice tuxedo. There wouldn't be many girls who could resist him although the scared-out-of-his-mind expression did break the image a little bit. Good. At least he wasn't totally heartless. "You pulled a dick move, that's for sure, but that doesn't mean I hate you. You only did it because you love her right?" Riku nodded his head quietly. "And love makes us do crazy things…things like backstabbing your best friend and totally screwing his life over and scarring him for life and cheating him out of the love of his life."

"Sora, I'm so—"

"And despite all the horrible horrible things you did to me, I'm crazy enough to still consider you my friend."

"Wha-really?"

Sora nodded. "But you owe me big time."

"Of course! What do you want me to do? I'll do anything to make it up to you!"

"Hmmm, I wonder…how about this: be happy."

"W-what?"

Sora gave a **grin**. "Just be happy."

"Sora…" He was a true friend. Riku's eyes began to water. "You…"

"But that's only the first favor. You owe me two more, and I reserve to right to invoke it at anytime. And I guarantee you, they're not going to be something as cheap as be happy, okay?"

He wouldn't get off that easy. "Yeah. What's fair is fair right?" he laughed. "You know…you don't have to be the best man if you don't want to."

Sora shook his head. "It's okay. I'll do it."

"Really?"

"It's because I'm the best man."

He really was.

"Thanks…Sora."

"Don't mention it. If I'm going to be completely honest here, I'm kind of glad you told me what you did. It means that we don't always control everything. Shit happens right?" And with that, he left the room and started heading towards the bridal chamber.

"Hey, no guys allowed!" Selphie warned at the doorway.

"Who is it?" Kairi's voice called out.

"It's nobody," Selphie yelled back.

"It's Sora," he answered, rolling his eyes.

"Let him in."

"But—"

"He's not the groom is he? It's fine."

Selphie blew on her bangs. "Fine."

"Can you leave us alone for the moment?"

"But Kairi!" she gasped, scandalized.

It was Kairi's turn to roll her eyes. She loved Selphie, she really did, that was why she was the maid-of-honor, but she was way too overdramatic. "Please?"

"Okay." She finally left the two alone.

Sora walked past a curtain and saw Kairi on the stand, wearing a beautiful wedding dress. "You look amazing."

"You're not so bad yourself," she complimented back.

"Put anybody in a tuxedo and they'd look good," he replied disarmingly. "But not everybody can pull off a wedding dress—I certainly couldn't."

She giggled. She stepped down from her stand to be level with him. "Are you sure about this? It's not too late you know."

"I think you got it backwards Kairi. That's my line isn't it?"

They both laughed.

"No, we're just sides of the same coin. We'll always be friends won't we?"

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Forever. I mean, if not, I dread to think what the curse of the paopu fruit would do if we weren't friends."

She smacked him on the arm. "Funny."

He looked at the bride's face and admired her features. It's true what they say, a girl is most beautiful on her wedding day. "This is good…isn't it?" She was quiet, but her silence was an agreement louder than anything she could say. "I should get going, and you should be getting ready." He was about to leave.

"Sora!" He turned around. "Thank you...for everything."

As far as weddings went, what was there to say? They stood in front of an altar while the priest, with years of practice, went through his lines like a pro. As he went through them, he finally reached a particularly perilous part of the ceremony.

"If anybody has any objection as to why these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Both the bride and groom gave the best man an expectant look.

_Don't look at me! I'm not going to do anything!_

They both smiled.

"Well in that case, you may now kiss each other!"

And off they went, under a shower of rice and white doves with the wedding bells clanging up above. The whole church followed after them outside.

But we all know weddings don't _really_ start until the reception.

"_Cheers!" _

The sound of corks popping resounded all around Balamb Garden where the reception was being held. Champagne spilled over on tables and carpets with reckless abandon. Sora, by virtue of best man, sat at the same table as the groom and bride. Xion, by virtue of being Sora's plus one, sat next to him. They were both doing their best to avoid the arterial spray of bubbly. It was certainly a blast from the past. He recognized many of the people from his high school days.

"_Sora!"_ they universally yelled with disbelief.

"_If it wasn't for this guy…"_ they would start, and then tales of his high school exploits would soon follow. Some of it flattering, some of it funny, but most of it embarrassing. Xion certainly drew some attention of her own since she was new. Everybody made her feel welcome, but it mostly boiled down to the guys hitting on her, and the girlfriends apologizing for their boyfriend's drunken behavior.

Sora looked to his seatmate and laughed at the attention she garnered. "Having a good time?" he asked amused. He had to scream since the place was a riot. So much for Balamb Garden's austere reputation.

"Yeah!" she nodded. "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"What will you do now?"

"I—"

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am the host for today's reception!" the loud voice of Demyx interrupted. "If you would all please calm down, the bride and groom would like to hear a few special words from the best man, Sora Hikari!" The crowd whooped and hollered at his name. "Ah, but there's something else you should know about Sora here, and this is top secret information, courtesy of Ms. Hikari." What the? "He goes by another name you might all recognize…Tetsuya Nomura!"

The entire banquet hall went into stunned silence. A large swell of excited chatter and yelling soon erupted from the room.

"_Holy crap!"_

"_Really!"_

"_I love that book!"_

"_Gimme an autograph!" _

"Dammit mom." He turned to Xion who was staring at him with her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.

"You're Tetsuya Nomura?" she yelled. "You're Tetsuya Nomura?"

"You already said that," he answered plainly. She smacked him on the arm. "Ow!"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't exactly relevant."

"Relevant? I'm a HUGE fan of the books! I absolutely adore Sky, and I—" she stopped her gushing and blushed. "Sorry about that, I'm acting like a geeky fangirl aren't I? You probably get that a lot!"

He laughed. "No way, nobody knows who I am! This is the first time a fangirl geeked out in front of me!"

"Ahem!" Demyx coughed into the microphone. Now that order was restored to the restaurant, he resumed his introduction, "Without further ado, Sora Nomura! I mean—Hikari!" The blond went over to Sora to hand him the microphone. He whispered something in his ear, "Hey, you think you can like, sign a copy of mine? It's for—er, my girlfriend, yeah, that's it."

"Sure." He stood up and pulled the microphone to his mouth. He didn't prepare a speech although he knew the best man would have to do something like this. All eyes were on him. "Kairi and Riku…what can I say? You're both my best friends and now you're married. Congratulations! I hope that you make each other happy.

"The thing about love...is that it's not just a single feeling. It's a collection of feelings. Happiness, joy, laughter, relief, and peace. Love makes us do crazy things, but isn't that craziness the thing that makes life fun and unpredictable?" He grabbed his glass. "A toast, to Kairi and Riku!"

"_A toast!"_

Now that all the formalities were done, it was time to dance!

Sora wasn't one for dancing, but he didn't have a choice when Riku came over and pulled him onto the floor. "The lady's waiting for you pal."

"Hey, what about—"

Riku winked, "I'll take care of her, now go!" The groom shoved him in the back until he fell into Kairi's arms.

"H-hey," he said. There wasn't much to say now was there?

"Care for a dance my lord?"

He smiled. "Sure." They clasped their hands together and heard the string orchestra wring out a melodious ballad. They started moving in step with each other.

"That was a nice speech you gave there."

"Really? I came up with it on the spot."

She giggled. "I couldn't tell." He gave her a little twirl. "I never knew that you wrote _The Keyblade Chronicles."_

"It's nothing really."

She scoffed. "Over a million copies sold isn't nothing Sora. I'm a big fan."

"That's what everybody tells me."

"That's because its a great story. There's a reason why its so popular."

"All stories have to end sometime."

"Oh, that's right; I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Shoot."

She leaned close to his ear. "Who's Xion?"

"Huh? Xion? She's…"

"Someone special?" she filled in, grinning devilishly.

"_There's nothing really special about me." _

That wasn't true.

"Yeah, she's someone special alright."

She slapped him on the shoulder, but softly this time. "Look at you! Hardly been a day and you're already moving on!" He just **grinned**. Her eyes went wide. "Damn it Sora, when you smile like that, you make it hard for me not to fall in love with you again."

"What are you talking about?"

"Sora!" They stopped dancing and turned around to see Roxas and Naminé. "You mind if I have minute with Kairi?" his cousin asked. He looked to Kairi and she gave him a shrug.

"I don't see why not." He walked over to Naminé. "Know what's going on?"

She nodded. "He wants to apologize for some nasty things he said."

"Ah…I see."

Naminé gave him a great smile. "How about a dance?" The string orchestra stopped playing the slow ballad and changed into a more up-tempo beat, the tango. "Wanna give it a shot?"

"I'm the tango master, didn't you get the memo?" The both took a step back and straightened out for the duel. They stepped forward, circling around each other tentatively, and then attacked with a quick jerk of the body. Their legs folded in with each other, step in, step out, and a quick twirl. Their arms stretched, and they were pulled together. They moved sideways, shoulder-to-shoulder. "So tell me Naminé, how are things between you and Roxas?"

She kicked her legs. "Wouldn't you like to know? Jealous?"

He pulled her close, her back to him. "A little bit."

She laughed. "We had a long talk that night. It cleared up a lot of things."

"Sounds productive."

"It was. I never got a chance to thank you."

"For what?"

"For stopping."

He **grinned**, "It's not like I wanted to…"

She leaned back, as if wilting. "Sora…"

He leaned forward to keep her from falling. "What?"

"You sure know how to make a girl feel special…"

"Hey Sora," a voice called. He looked up to see Roxas. "Mind if I take this dance?"

"She's all yours cousin." He let go of the blonde woman gently and handed her to her rightful man.

"Thanks."

Sora looked around when he noticed Xion by the veranda. She was by herself. He made a move to walk over when the string quartet stopped. A chorus began to play. He recognized the song. It was one of his favorites. Soon after the chorus ended, the sounds of guitar began playing in breezy fashion.

_I saw her today at the reception_

_A glass of wine in her hand_

He shook his head. He couldn't believe it, were they actually playing this song at the wedding? They were totally rubbing it in weren't they?

_I knew she was going to meet her connection_

_At her feet was her footloose man_

Cold-blooded. He went to the veranda and stood next to Xion. It was the second floor, which gave them a rather great view of the island. They let the cold air cool their heads.

"You never answered my question," she brought up.

"What question?"

She gave a annoyed look. "What are you going to do now?"

"Oh, that, yeah…well, I guess the cat's out of the bag now."

"I had no idea…"

He put his arms against the railing. "Actually, before coming here, I had the world's worst writer's block."

"A writer's block?"

"Yeah. But…after all this, I think I found it."

"Find what?"

"The ending I was looking for."

"Do you think you could maybe…tell me what happens?"

"Sorry, but I'm under contract."

"Awww…"

Her disappointed face made him laugh. "But I can say that it's going to be a happy ending."

"That's good."

"It is. I think I'll come back home after I finish."

"Home?"

"Here. Destiny Islands of course."

She was taken back. "H-how long do you think it'll take you to finish?"

"A year and a half—two years maybe."

"Is that so…" She looked at her drink, seeing the soft ripples spread out. "I've decided—I'm going to take the promotion."

"Huh? What changed your mind?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I just feel like I have a lot of confidence now." She gave a big smile.

Two years. She could wait that long.

"That's great, how about a dance?"

"Gladly." He pulled her into the dance hall. He looked around and saw smiles and glowing faces. Weddings were such happy occasions.

The song was still playing.

"What's this song?" she wondered. "It sounds familiar…"

_I saw her today at the reception_

_In her glass was a bleeding man  
_

_She was practiced at the art of deception  
_

_Well I could tell by her blood-stained hands  
_

"It's a classic. The name of the song is in the song itself."

"And what's that?"

"You can't always get what you want."

_You can't always get what you want_

_**You can't always get what you want  
**_

_**But if you try sometimes you just might find  
**_

_**You just might find  
**_

_**You get what you need**_


	10. You Get What You Need

**Epilogue**

The sun was rising.

As the morning wore on, the light ascended, defeating obstacles such as the ocean, the ground, the grass, the trees, the mountains, and the buildings, rising high enough to shine on the entire island.

The light seeped through an open door on a second-story balcony. A room was slowly lit, the line of shadows receding until the sun hit the eyes of its occupant. A figure, wrapped in comforters and blankets, parted her eyes and was greeted by the radiant sun. Dark raven hair lay in disarray as she blinked off the morning spots.

Xion pulled the comforters off, revealing her night garments, an ensemble set of t-shirt and shorts. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. The sun was different from what she was used to—it was the sun of Destiny Islands. Unlike the orange tint of Twilight Town, the Destiny Island sun was full of white-hot brilliance, yellow and bright beyond belief. Her balcony faced eastwards, giving her a natural alarm clock. The brightness woke her up on time every morning without fail. She went to the washroom to get ready.

It had been two years and 6 months since she moved to Destiny Islands. A lot had changed since then, which wasn't too surprising, but it was amazing how much a simple change of scenery can do for a person. Life used to be such a daunting task. A gauntlet filled with obstacles and challenges that threatened to overtake her, but now, life was something to be enjoyed. It was funny how she used to worry about things that didn't even matter. She got wrapped up in the minutia of life.

How hard was it to approach a person? It was just talking—basic communication. Being self-conscious tends to make even the simplest task extremely difficult. What if she said the wrong thing? What would they think if she slipped up? Whether or not they were legitimate causes for concern didn't matter if they meant the world to the person who held them. So she approached the big bad scary world in timid fashion.

But that kind of thinking never goes anywhere. It's hard to get out once you're stuck. It's rare that we ever get out on our own. We always need a little extra help, just one small push to get the ball rolling.

Two and a half years.

He was such a liar.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. Her hair was still short. She left it that way on purpose since she wanted to separate herself from Kairi. Somehow, she and Kairi became good friends. It was probably because she was one of the few people she actually knew on the island, after her boss, Roxas, pretty much left her on her own.

"I trust you," was a phrase with too much pressure. Give some better directions Roxas! But it was fine, Kairi made sure she was welcomed and introduced her to some good people. Others would comment on how similar they looked and asked if they were sisters. It was one of the reasons she kept her hair short, to differentiate herself. The low maintenance was just a bonus.

There was also another reason why she wanted to look different and it was because of a stupid schoolyard crush. Despite its brevity, memories of that one week always filled her with giddiness. **He** was the one who gave her the strength to move on.

He was special.

Considering his history with Kairi, it wouldn't do to look like her. She just wanted to be herself, Xion.

Too bad he dropped off the face of the earth. Kairi and Mrs. Hikari haven't heard from him for six months. It was like he disappeared. Even Roxas and Naminé wouldn't say anything.

Maybe he found someone special, and why not? He held a curious quality—magnetic, mysterious, and attractive, like a single cool breeze on a hot summer day. His presence was sweeping and refreshing, and strong enough to knock you off your feet. She shook her head. She was getting nostalgic again.

Life was good. There was no reason to be hung up on a guy who disappeared long ago, even though he promised to be back at two years max. Just continue to live life instead, go to work with a smile, and have a good time with friends. But…something was missing. It was an annoying itch in the back of her mind. It wasn't like she was starving for attention.

Ever since she gained the confidence to head up the Destiny Islands branch of Twilight Delivery, she attacked her job with full force. Before she knew it, she accumulated a small cavalcade of admirers from work. She may have been aloof before, but she could tell when a delivery boy was trying to (unsuccessfully) hit on her. Kairi would remain stupefied as to why she turned down all the (hot) guys at work. Hopefully the auburn woman would never find out that she was waiting on **him**.

She exited the washroom and walked out to the balcony. The sight from above was breath-taking. It was the perfect view of town, rooftops and trees—an immaculate fusion of man and nature, stretched across the landscape. She leaned on the rail and let the wind caress her face.

She loved Destiny Islands.

_Ding dong!_

Xion turned around. Was that…the door bell?

_Ding dong!_

It was.

She quickly searched her room for sweatpants and put it on. She didn't want to be too exposed when she answered the door. She looked through the peephole and saw a deliveryman.

"Ah, Ms. Xion! Good morning!" he greeted jovially.

"Hi Wes, can I ask why you're on my doorstep today?"

"Black box delivery." He held up a black package.

Xion's eyes widened. Black box delivery was a special high priority in-company delivery method. It meant the package was signed by Roxas himself. She took the package. "Thank you."

The deliveryman tipped his hat, "Ma'am," and left.

She closed the door and began unwrapping the package. If it was black box delivery, it had to be extremely important. As she shed layers of cardboard from the package, its true form soon emerged as a book. It wasn't just any book however, it was—

"_**The Keyblade Chronicles 3**_!" she exclaimed excitedly. That had to mean that he was finished! Her hand brushed against the cover, recognizing the artwork on it. The illustrations were done by Naminé of course. Most eye-catching was the name of the author.

Sora Hikari. No longer was it Tetsuya Nomura. She smiled. She opened the book and flipped through the pages until reaching the acknowledgements.

"_To all my friends and family who supported me; to my mom Aerith, who never stopped believing in me; to my cousin Roxas, whose profound power of precognition bailed me out many times; to Naminé, whose unwavering support urged me to move on; to my friends Kairi and Riku, who showed that even in the worst of times, friendship prevails; and to Xion, for reminding me of the meaning of the word 'special._'"

She was shocked to find herself in the acknowledgements. He remembered her. Did that mean…? Shake your mind off it! Try not to get too excited.

She sat down, waiting for her heart to calm. The book seemed like it was hot off the press. She wasn't even aware it was going to be released yet. An advance copy…the perks of knowing an author.

She began skimming through the pages until a note fell out. It was a yellow piece of paper with a sentence scrawled on it.

"At the airport, 9:00AM. –Roxas."

Did that mean what she really thought it meant? She looked at the clock sitting on her coffee table.

8:10AM.

Curse you Roxas! Black Box delivery was always_ exactly_ on time. The delivery was specifically timed to give her only one hour to make it to the airport!

She went into her bedroom to get dressed as fast as possible whilst making sure she was presentable.

She checked herself in the mirror one last time. She wore a professional ensemble, a white collar shirt and long skirt, eerily similar to the clothes she wore the first time she met him.

Alright, let's go!

8 o'clock traffic was horrible, especially towards the airport.

Fortunately, she was able to make it just in time. She looked up at the timetables until she found the gate for the 9:00 incoming flight from Twilight Town. It was Gate 22, on the other side of the airport. Did fate conspire against her? This was ridiculous! She hoofed it in her high heels until she reached the waiting area.

"Xion, over here!" a voice hollered. She caught sight of Mrs. Hikari and Kairi waving at her. She hobbled over to the two. "What took you so long?"

It was all Roxas' fault! "Heavy traffic on the way. How long have you guys been here?"

"About thirty minutes," Kairi answered. "I can't believe it, he's finally coming back!"

Xion smiled. "Me too."

"Oh, I know you're especially anxious," the auburn woman winked.

Did she…? No way, she doesn't know, she can't know!

"Now now, it's almost time. He should be coming soon," Mrs. Hikari interrupted.

Streams of people were already walking out of the flight. Minutes passed with no sight of him. The crowd was beginning to thin out.

"Is he really coming?" Just as Xion asked the question, a lone man was standing by the plane's exit. He had a bag slung over his shoulder and a luggage cart on wheels by his side. He scanned the place until his eyes settled on the welcoming party.

"There he is!" Kairi exclaimed. The three jogged towards him as he grinned his way over.

Kairi immediately crushed him in a hug.

"Welcome back Sora!" his mom greeted.

Kairi let go and pinched his arm.

"Ow!"

"That's for taking so long to come back you dummy, and why didn't you say anything for the past six months?"

He gave disarming smile. "Sorry about that," he apologized. "Things got a little crazy towards the end. I needed total concentration to finish up everything in a satisfactory manner."

"That's not really a satisfactory answer!" she admonished. He shrugged his shoulders.

"We're just glad you're back son."

Sora turned to Xion and grinned. "How's it going?"

She grinned in response. "Welcome back."

"Yeah…I'm finally home again."

Mrs. Hikari nudged Kairi slightly. "Why don't I and Kairi get your luggage? We'll lead you towards the car." Sora nodded as he handed off the luggage to the two women. "Don't lag behind now!"

Sora and Xion trailed behind slightly. It was an easy silence. She was just happy to be with him again.

"You know…" she said, interrupting the peace.

"Yes?"

"You were right."

"I always am." He chuckled. "...about what?"

She giggled. "It's true what you said. You don't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes…"

"You get what you need."

She nodded.

She'd been trying for two years and half now, to live life to the fullest, with full confidence and determination.

Even though Sora was finally here, she wasn't going to stop.

Not until she got what she needed, and what she needed was right beside her.


End file.
